Bad Romance
by lyndagayle
Summary: Halfdan goes looking for Toke. Can he handle his chance meeting with a girl from another who says she's from the future and is everything he's ever wanted in a companion.Can he balance blood debt and true love? Where will Genevieve fit into this new love?
1. Chapter 1

This fanfiction is based upon Judson Robert's Viking StrongBow Series. This book is based after the last one _The Road to Vengeance. _The series itself is very masculine and has lots of fighting in it. Even though I've kept the third person narritive, I've made it mine much more feminine with a lot more romance and drama. I'll warn readers now that there is a lot of mature themes involved and it is not for younger readers. Please be advised. I love the character Halfdan with his nobleness and devotedness to truth. He deserves a proper mate. In the third book Roberts introduces the character Genevieve who I just wasn't that taken with. Thus, I've introduced my own mate for Halfdan. For this fanfiction to work, you have to believe in two things: the ability for time travel to work and the ability for true love and soul mates across time lines to exist. I'm not sure about the first but the second I do personally believe in. I hope you enjoy my story and I wish you would review for me. This is a work in progress. Thanks so much, Lynda. PS. Even though it is not a songfic, I did name it after the Lady Gaga song _Bad Romance_ so if you like the song you might take into consideration the lyrics and how they relate.

Bad Romance

Chapter One

Alexandria Harrison smiled as she looked at the pictures coming from outer space. How could she not? She was nothing if not living a dream. She'd wanted to be an astronaut as a small child, but then her mother had broken her heart one day over a pint of chocolate chip ice cream finally telling her that NASA had no use for astronauts with asthma. So, Alexa had thrown herself into studying physics and math in middle school. She'd gotten high scores on her SAT in high school, then a valedictorianship. Along came a lucrative offer from UCLA, three states away from her home on the prairies of Wyoming. She'd chosen the school anyway because of their associations with NASA's Jett Propulsion laboratory. Alexa was determined that she would find a way to work for NASA some day some way. It had always seemed a contradiction. This cowgirl in her Wranglers and Ropers with her long dark hair tied back in a pony tail working next to the certified geeks and nerds of the space science department at UCLA Berkeley. They loved her though. What was not to love? She had an easy smile and a good word for everyone. She worked hard at what she did and it was evident that Alexa Harrison wanted to be there discovering new worlds.

On this particular Saturday morning Alexa had come into the lab alone. She was finishing up some research time for a project that was due on Tuesday and she didn't want to be rushed to the last minute getting it done. She was a sophomore majoring in astro-physics and she was finding it to be challenging to say the least. She loved it more than she could say but the math was taxing her brain to the limit. Right now they were studying something that had mystified scientists for decades. Wormholes. The hypothetical theory of space time that allowed that maybe space folded in over itself forming a tube or a hole in which one theoretically could travel through time. It might be the only way in which one could travel quickly through space and get from one galaxy to another. Alexa was fascinated by it. She watched in awe on the screen as images of a nebula with it's glowing neon gases blew up. The universe was a mighty thing indeed.

Alexa got into her car and headed back to her dorm. She was somewhat distracted thinking about all that she had to do tonight. She had lots of write ups to do as well as work for other classes. Absently she fiddled with the radio trying to find something decent to listen to as the heater finally began to give her a little heat. Even though she was in sunny California, it was the middle of January and it was 48 degrees outside. Alexa had grown up in the heartland and was used to hard winters, so really, this cold was nothing to her. She'd gotten up at 5 o'clock in the morning and feed cattle in twenty degree weather as a teenager. She was a trooper.

Suddenly she saw beside of the road something she'd never noticed before on her many trips back and forth between the observatory and her apartment on campus. She would have sworn it looked like part of a ship, a rotted out ship, made of old old timbers sticking out of the earth beside of the road. Alexa made a U-turn and then pulled up along side the structure. Ignoring the cold and pulling her scarf around her head she got out of her car. For some reason she decided not to leave her bag in the car so she slung it over her head and left out to examine this 'boat'.

She walked up to it and noticed that it was indeed old. The timbers were almost beyond rotted. She was surprised that one good wind hadn't knocked that whole structure down. She walked around the bow of the ship and then noticed that there was an open door. Since there was no roof there was plenty of light to see in. Inside there were two mounds. Around the mounds were littered all kinds of articles. The most prominent to Alexa was the sword.

_Oh my God_ she said to herself. Alexandria had always been a fan of anything Renaissance. She could tell this pre-dated the Middle Ages though. This sword was old, very old. The hilt was forged with steel and iron both, and strapped with leather bindings. There were no ornate jewels or gilded scrolls. This was a sword that was meant for business. It still looked sharp. Next to it on the ground was a small dagger. It looked like a ladies' dagger. It did have ornamentation on it. Rubies were enladen on the hilt and the blade was sharp to the touch. Also lying around what had to be a grave were golden pitchers and cups as well as various sewing instruments and men's armor, rusted and worn down.

_This was someone's grave_ Alexa thought. She started shaking. Was this a replica? Was this supposed to be here? Why had she never seen this before? She was a history buff. She would have known about this. _Get your wits together_ she thought. You know what this is. This is a viking replica. This is how vikings buried their kings. They buried them in ships. She sighed. But why was it here? In California of all places. She could understand it being on the east coast, up in New England, or close to near where the vikings supposedly landed in America, but not on the West Coast. There was no connection.

She began to feel queasy at her stomach then. Like she hadn't eaten in days and she wanted to throw up but there was little on her stomach. Her head throbbed and spun. _I've got to sit down_. She thought. _But I can't sit on these people's graves. These aren't real graves, Idiot!_ She said to herself. Alexa lowered herself to the ground and finally allowed herself to retch. When her stomach was finally empty she rolled over and realized somewhere in the back of her mind that she was lying on top of one of the 'graves'.

Halfdan was sad to leave the _Gull_. But he had to. He still had business to attend to with Toke. He'd proven to himself and the others from Hastein's crew that he was legitimate in his claims when he'd killed Snorre. Now he was going to kill the man who had killed his only brother and countless other men, women and children right in front of his eyes. He was out for vengeance.

He missed the friends he'd made on board the _Gull_ already. Friends were in short commodity when you are a thrall, or a slave, and it hadn't been but six short months ago that he'd been one. He didn't tell his story to many people because quite frankly they wouldn't believe it or they'd take advantage of him. Halfdan was born a slave, but his father was a Danish chieftain. His mother was an Irish princess, whom his father stole away from her homeland. His father loved his mother but would not marry her, choosing instead to marry another woman in order to gain lands and position. His mother remained a slave until the day that he asked her to accompany him on his death ship. She agreed to do so in return for him freeing Halfdan and recognizing him as his heir. After his father's death, his new brother Harold took Halfdan under his wing and taught him the ways of a warrior. The two became very close and Halfdan loved Harold much. Harold took Halfdan north to visit a small estate their father had left him, and that's where Toke, their half brother, had attacked them. He agreed to let the women and children go safely and then massacred them. He killed Harold in front of Halfdan's very eyes. Halfdan was the only one to live, but he swore a blood oath that he would kill every member of Toke's crew for what they did that night. And now he was truly beginning that mission. He'd gotten off the _Gull_ here in Ireland for he'd heard that some of the members had come here and were raiding in this area.

Dublin was a small port town. It was growing with Danish influence. Halfdan didn't like towns very much. For the most part they were dirty and everyone lived almost on top of one another. He couldn't understand how men could stand to live that way. If he had a choice Halfdan would live in the country as he grew up or be a seafaring man. He wasn't sure where to start exactly in his mission. He was thinking that one of the local drinking houses would be best. That's where the men usually headed when they got off of the ship. Even if none of the men he was looking for were at the bar he could probably find out some useful information, like where he might find a place to sleep tonight.

"Ahhhhh, help meeee!!!" he heard a scream coming a short distance off. It was a woman crying out. Halfdan ran towards the sound. He only heard it once but he was good at judging distances. Evidently the sound had been muffled. He ducked into an alley where he saw a struggle going on. Two men, Danes, had a woman pressed against a building. From what he could tell they had all intents upon raping her. One man had his hand over her mouth so that she couldn't scream and the other man was quickly ripping her clothes from her body, while she kicked and beat at him.

If there was one thing that Halfdan had no tolerance for it was rape. He had been witness to his own father raping his own mother countless times over the course of his adolescence and there had been nothing he could do about it. It had been the most horrible and helpless feeling imaginable. He gritted his teeth. It didn't matter that these two men were of his own blood. It didn't matter that they were probably a good fifteen years older than him. All that mattered was that he saved this girl from the pain and agony his mother had endured. He looked at the girl and saw her face for the first time through the man's large hand. She was beautiful. As beautiful as Genevieve had been, maybe more so.

Halfdan pulled his sword and stalked forward. He easily snuck up on the men because they were so intent on trying to pull off the ladies' clothing, which seemed to be of an odd nature. It almost seemed like she had men's clothing on.

"You leave the woman alone, now!" Halfdan commanded. The two turned their heads around but didn't let go.

"Why, it's a little pup that wants to play, Olaf," said one of the men,"We'd let you have a go at her but it looks like you are a bit young for this sort of thing, you know." And the man had the audacity to wink.

Halfdan lifted his sword and put it under the man's chin. "It's not for you to know what I do or do not know about the ways of love, for I may look young but I have more experience than you know. Now if you do not leave this girl alone you'll soon learn what kinds of experiences I do have."

"Hold her, Olaf," the man said, letting go and pulling his sword. He parried high and their swords clanged against each other. Then his sword went low and Halfdan swung around to meet it. Again and again their swords clanged against each other, meeting and meeting. Once Halfdan drew blood against Olaf's leg, and Halfdan thought that surely it was over but evidently it only made the man mad. Olaf returned blood for blood by singing his sword across Halfdan's cheek leaving a bright slash.

"Ahhh," Halfdan heard the girl cry out. He prayed to the gods that nothing too awful was happening to her behind him.

Their swords clashed again. Halfdan managed to hit hard. Hard enough to knock his opponent's sword out of his hand. He reached out and grabbed it before Olaf could retrieve it.

"I believe you've lost your sword sir," Halfdan said. "You and your friend need to get out of here"

Olaf looked at his friend and hesitated. Then, finally, he nodded, and the girl was let go. She crumpled into a heap on the dirt below. The two skulked off.

Halfdan quickly jogged over to the injured girl. He propped her up in his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. He looked her over in the dim light. She was dressed very strangely. He hadn't seen anything like it before. Her pants looked like some form of canvas. They were obviously men's pants. And they were tight. They revealed every part of her lower body. It was no wonder those men wanted to rape her. He was feeling a bit aroused just looking at her in those pants. His mother, who believed in the White Christ would have said it was a sin to look at her with such lust in his heart. Maybe it was. The only real thing he felt guilty about was that it hadn't been that long ago that he'd been so close to Genevieve and he'd felt in his heart that she was the only one for him and now here he was lusting after some girl he'd just saved off the street. What was wrong with him?

He gazed up farther and noticed her torn shirt. It had once been in one piece and the material clung to her body and her curves. You could see her breasts outlined clearly beneath the shirt. They were a perfect size and shape. _Oh, Odin, I have problems now._ He thought as his body grew hard underneath her still form. He was glad that she seemed to be half unconscious because if she'd awakened she'd know what he was thinking. _And what are you thinking Halfdan? That you want to do to her what those thugs had wanted to do?Except you don't want to hurt her. You would never stoop to that? You want to coerce her into sleeping with you? You'd believe that somehow, someway you would have her in the same manner you had Genevieve and she would want you? _

He gently placed her on the ground away from his body, but kept her head on his chest. He sat and marveled at her beauty. He'd thought that Genevieve was beautiful and she was, but this girl was beyond his wildest dreams. He had no idea why he was even thinking she might throw him a glance. Why was he even pondering about it? He was losing focus on the mission again. But sometimes he wanted to. He wanted to act his age and he wanted to be in love and he wanted to be normal, but his life never had been normal had it? As he was contemplating this and stroking her long black hair, he saw her dark eyes start to flicker. She managed to get them open all the way and then she straightened up. The yawn she let out, caused Halfdan to laugh. She smiled at him, which made him smile back.

"Where am I?" she asked

"Dublin?"

"Ireland?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yes," he replied.

"That's impossible. I got sick and fell asleep in California,"

"Where's Cal-i-fornia" he sounded out the syllables in the state's name.

"Okay, everyone knows where California is, dufous."

"What did you just call me?"

"I called you a dufous because you tried to act like you don't know where Cali is?"

"I haven't the slightest notion where this place you are referring to is?"

"O-kay, Do-kay,"

"What does 'Okay' mean"

"What the hell?

"Huh, I've never heard a woman say such profanity,"

"Yeah, well, hang around me for awhile and I'll educate you."

"Who are you?"

"Names Alexandria Harrison but you can call me Alexa and I'm a sophomore at UCLA studying Astro Physics and Time Travel right now."

"I don't understand any of this."

"Who are you?" Alexa asked.

"My name is Halfdan."

"Just Halfdan?" She asked. "No last name?

"I am Halfdan Hrorksson of Hrorik, son of Offa......, my father was a Chiefdan on the Limfjord"

"Uh, so, you're a Native American?" Alexa asked confused.

"A what?" replied Halfdan equally baffled. "What is a Native American?"

"You know? An Indian?"

"I have never heard of such." he replied.

Alexa turned her head while still lying in his arms, so that she could examine the boy better. He really wasn't a boy she decided, although he wasn't fully a man either. She was hard put to name his age. It could be 18, 22, or anything in between. He had dark, dark brown hair that almost bordered on black. It was cut in a shaggy way that fell around his face in long layers. A skater boy cut, she thought. His dark eyes reminded her of hot chocolate or espresso, warm and inviting but with a bitterness somehow. She found herself swallowed up in their depths immediately, and had to steady herself with slow gasps of air. What was it with this dude? He was so intense.

"A Native American is a person who was born in America, not someone who immigrated there." she tried to explain, though she figured that he was simply making a joke at her expense. Everyone who had even an elementary education knew what an Indian was.

"America? What's America?" He then asked. She was stunned. He seemed completely serious. That or he was seriously pissing her off.

"_Are you serious_?" She asked, looking into his eyes trying to discern if he was trying to jerk her around. She wasn't a celebrity. This wasn't Ashton Kutcher and she wasn't likely being Punked.

"Why wouldn't I be? What is this America you refer to?"

"America is where we are. It's where I live. It's my country."

Now it was Halfdan's turn to look surprised and confused. He also looked incredibly worried. She didn't like the look on his face. It wasn't a mean look at all, it was a look of compassion actually. It was a look that said, "What have I gotten my self into?" Finally he looked a little more calm and he began to try to explain what he needed to say.

"You may not understand this too well, for maybe you hit your head when those men attacked you. I'm not sure what happened? You may be sick. There is no country that I've ever heard of called Amer-i-ca. Perhaps, it is some fancy that you have created." At this he looked at her kindly and sweetly and he ran his fingers through her hair. Ordinarily she would have jerked away. Such an intimate act from someone who was for all practical purposes a complete and total stranger should have sent her into a rage, but it didn't. There was something about this man who called himself Halfdan. She was remembering now. He'd saved her life. Not only was he quite possibly the most beautiful man she'd ever met, but there was something else about him that was attracting him to her. Perhaps it was the way he carried himself. A quiet confidence in his abilities, maybe. He was kind, that much was also obvious. She wasn't sure yet, but she wasn't ready to let him go. She wanted to know more about him. He continued to stroke her hair and explain her "delusions".

"We are in Ireland. The year is 859, and I am a Dane. I just got off of a ship called the _Gull. _I've been in Frankia waging war on Paris. I could have stayed as a member of Jarl Hastain's crew as a archer but I have personal business here in Dublin that I must attend to. That is why I am here. The question we must now figure out is why are you here when you are so obviously confused. You are out of sorts and you are not in any way dressed appropriately. What were you doing here in this alley to get yourself almost raped?"

Alexa couldn't meet Halfdan's eyes anymore. She had no answers for any of those questions. The truth was that she didn't know why she was in the alley. She had just appeared there. As for her clothing, she had on the same thing she'd worn to the lab this morning. Then the answers were coming like lightning. The wormhole theory. The viking ship. Then she suddenly had trouble breathing. And she was shaking. Sometimes this happened to her. When she became too excited and things overwhelmed her, her asthma would get the best of her. She prayed that the men had not managed to get away with her messenger bag because her rescue inhaler was inside of it. She fumbled around beside her, all the while wheezing and coughing.

"What's wrong Alexa?"

"Can't breathe. I have asthma"

"What's as-th-ma" Halfdan sounded the new word out.

"It's ...uhh..."Alexa gurgled and wheezed as she tried to find her bag. She didn't have enough air to explain it to him. "Help...find..bag.." she managed to pantomime with her hands. "Medicine. Inside"

Those instructions Halfdan seemed to understand. He was up in an instant and around the corner. He came back with Alexa's prized Coach messenger bag. It was a gift from her boyfriend Jacob. As she dug inside she was shocked to note that nothing seemed to be missing. Evidently nothing she carried was of value to the men who'd tried to take advantage of her so they'd simply dropped the bag around the corner. She said a quick prayer of thanks as she found the small white inhaler. She shook it quickly and then stuck it in her mouth and pushed the trigger. She inhaled the medicine and held it the requisite seconds. As she was holding her breath she watched Halfdan watching her. The look on his face was exquisite agony. He looked quite scared for a man who didn't even know her. He appeared worried that she was going to die on him, but at the same time he seemed inquisitive about the apparatus that carried the medicine into her lungs. She removed the inhaler and then let out the medicine in one big puff and a sigh. She was still shaking. The medicine always did that to her. Halfdan noticed immediately.

"You are shaking."

"The medicine does that to me."

"May I hold your hand?"

For some reason, the simple question caused her stomach to drop. The way it drops when you get asked to the prom by the guy you have a crush on . What was wrong with her today? She was in so much trouble in so very many ways. She shook her head 'yes' and held her hand out for him to take. Instead he took both of her hands and enveloped them in his. His hands were large and calloused. She wondered what type of work he'd done to have caused that. And there were scars too on his hands. She wanted to ask about them, but she was afraid that it would be rude. His hands were tanned a dark brown like the rest of his skin. Like he'd been out in the sun a whole lot. She looked up into his face, which she was growing to like a whole lot more than she needed to given the uncertainty of her situation. He had a sweet gentle face for a fighter. He had small eyes that were perfectly shaped with long black eye lashes and a straight nose that was neither too big nor too small, and his lips were shaped for kissing. Full and lush with a cupid's bow set in the center. It was hard for her not to stare at them and not lick her own. He had a strong jaw and cheek bones that gave his face enough definition that even though he retained some of his teenage boy adorableness it was clearly giving way to the sexiness of manhood. He was clearly going to be someone that the women would throw themselves at, and probably already were. She would have to watch herself or she might do it herself at any minute.

"Are you better now?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm breathing better now." Alexa replied. Please don't let go of my hand, she thought to herself.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Halfdan asked, with a raise of his somewhat shaggy black eyebrows.

"Yes. I have a condition called asthma. It causes me to be unable to breathe at times. My lungs, the organs in your body that allow you to breathe, they have tubes inside them and when my asthma flairs up those tubes constrict." She made a motion with her free hand to prove her point. "It cuts off my air, and I cannot breathe any longer. The medicine in the little white container which I breathe into my lungs dilates the tubes back open so that I can breathe again."

"Does it happen often?"

"With me, it happens maybe once a month or so. It depends. I have to use my inhaler I get into something that makes me sneeze or when I get excited or scared sometimes an attack happens. That's what just happened. I think it was a delayed reaction from when those guys attacked me and then just this whole shock that I might not be in Kansas anymore."

"Where's Kansas?"

"Oh, no, that's just a saying." she replied reminding herself to stay away from colloquialisms."What I mean is that I think I know what happened. Why I'm here and how I'm here."

"Explain for me." he said.

"It's kinda technical"

"What is technical? You use so many words that I do not understand." he sighed, clearly frustrated at their language barrier. Personally she was surprised they could understand each other at all.

"I'm so sorry. You have to understand that we are using two completely different languages. I have no idea how we are understanding each other at all. I think I know how I am here though. But how can we comprehend each others language? That's magic."

Halfdan shook his head. It all was seeming beyond him at this point.

"Perhaps we should go find a better place to go discuss this. An alley is no place for a woman and at this time of night anyway."

"Where will we go?"

"Usually I just sleep outdoors or in a horse stall but I can't do that with you with me. I have some money. I'll get us a room, that way we'll be warm tonight and we'll be comfortable and we can discuss what has happened to you. We'll figure out if there is a way to get you back home or not."

"Thank you so much for helping me. You know you don't have to, you aren't obligated just because you found me."

"No, but I did find you, and I like you."

"You are a very noble man, you know that." Alexa complimented Halfdan as she rose up from the cold alley floor.

Halfdan blushed where she couldn't see it. The two started out of the alley and onto the street. Alexa instinctively took Halfdan by the hand. She figured it wasn't proper but she didn't care. She didn't want to get lost or run over on these streets. She also liked the feel of his hand in hers. He evidently didn't mind too much because he curled his fingers around her smaller ones and held her hand tightly. They walked until they reached the Golden Ring Inn. The first floor contained the bar and dining area. Even though the hour was late there were still several patrons. The second and third floor were reserved for paying customers who wanted room and board. Halfdan managed to find the mistress of the Inn and reserved for them a clean room on the second floor. He led Alexa upstairs and unlocked the door.

The room itself was serviceable. One small bed was under a window against a corner. There was also a writing desk with a lamp and a nice sitting chair. Alexa sat down on the bed and found that she sank down.

"What is in this bed?"

"Why? Probably corn husks?"

"Lovely!"

"What do you sleep on Alexa?"

"We have mattresses that are made of steel springs. But now I'll have to explain what steel is won't I? It's a pure form of iron."

"That's something I can understand. And it doesn't sound a bit comfortable. Who'd want to sleep on steel?"

"It's covered in cotton though!"

"But what's cotton?"

"The material I'm wearing, like my clothes."

"Oh, well, that's certainly soft." he said. Then he blushed. And he blushed hard. A blush that seemed to go from his head to his toes.

"He, _he he_, what on earth are you thinking about Halfdan? I didn't know a man with a tan could blush like that?"

"I'm not thinking anything you need to be concerned with."

"Oh, I think you are," Alexa said, getting up and walking over to him. She suddenly felt kinda bold. She wanted so badly to be brave and touch him and see what he would do. Better yet, she wanted to kiss him and see what those perfectly shaped lips tasted like. But now wasn't the time. They had to talk and she had to get a plan. What she couldn't understand was why she wasn't freaking out. From her calculations she was way out of her time period and she should be going out of her mind. But she wasn't. What was this effect that Halfdan had on her? She seemed so calm.

"Tell me what you know of what happened to you," Halfdan said changing the subject rather smoothly.

Alexa nodded. She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the bed and sat him down with her. She began pulling off the tall flat boots she had on over her blue jeans. Then she lay back on the bed.

"Lay down with me, Halfdan." she requested.

"Uh, please don't be mad, but I'm not sure that's a good idea." he replied.

"Why? I thought we were becoming friends. Don't you like me?" Alexa replied hurt. Perhaps she had been too forward with him. Perhaps he had a girlfriend back home somewhere. That probably was it. All the good ones were always taken. Wasn't that the way of it? Of course she was technically taken herself, although she seemed to have conveniently forgotten it. For some reason she wanted to cry all of a sudden. The thought of Halfdan with another woman was enough to make her sick. She prayed she didn't have a repeat asthma performance. Sometimes she did that. If she had one, then they would piggyback each other. She didn't need the drama. Why did she suddenly have her heart set on Halfdan so badly? God it hurt.

"No, it's just that...well, it's embarrassing to explain really." Halfdan cried out.

"I understand Halfdan. You don't have to tell me." Alexa said with a sob in her voice. She'd tried hard to keep it out, but it was there nonetheless. She laid her head down on the pillow and tried hard not to breathe in the stench coming off the pillow. There was nothing clean about it, but it was soft. She closed her eyes tight but the tears kept coming as visions of Halfdan and faceless girls in shifts that she dreamed up based upon those she'd seen in history books came dancing into her view.

She felt him laying beside her. It would have been hard not to, on the knotty mattress. His calloused thumb traced its way down a tear from her eye across the crest of her cheekbones and then down across her lips. Her lip trembled as his finger traced it. With his other fingers he cupped her chin.

"Do you cry because you miss home?" he asked.

"I should tell you yes, because that is the proper thing to do. But no, I'm not missing home yet."

"Why do you cry then?" he looked alarmed.

"As you said, it's embarrassing to explain really,"

"And as you said, I thought we were becoming friends." He shot back.

Alexa rallied her courage. "I'm sad because you already have a girlfriend. I know that is stupid because I don't even know you, but for some reason it seems that you and I have an attraction to one another and I don't guess I'll ever get to know if anything would have ever come of it."

"What is a girlfriend, Alexa?"

"Someone you date." She looked at his totally clueless expression and then realized of course that most marriages in his time were either arranged or happened in a formal fashion. "Like courting. Someone you would court. Maybe with the intention of marrying someday. The person that you love."

"Oh, I think I understand now."

"You see why I'm sad. I hope you don't think me foolish considering we just met and I really don't know you that well. Maybe I'm just infatuated with you because you saved my life and all."

"Alexa..." he paused getting her attention,"I don't have a girlfriend or a betrothed. When you hear my story you'll understand why I've not exactly had time to have much romance." Then he laughed a little bitterly. "To be honest, I have very few friends and I treasure the ones that I do have."

"You know I'll be your friend after you saved me and all." Alexa said quickly.

Before he could lose his courage Halfdan brought his lips down to hers and slid them across. She opened her mouth allowing him access. Halfdan wasn't used to this kind of kissing. In fact he'd only kissed like this twice in his whole life. She wound her tongue around his before he had a chance to even think about it. The feeling was electric and his body surged within his clothing. It would be hard to hide this from her. He wondered how much experience she had and how far she was willing to go. The idea both scared and appealed to him. He didn't know much at all about her, except that he wanted her. He wanted her so much he was willing to fight for her. At the same time it bothered him that she was experienced. Genevieve had been an innocent. He was willing to bet that Alexa was not. He even wondered if she had a "boyfriend" back in her own land. If she did what would he do? The thought was making him crazy already. She was so beautiful with her long black hair,green eyes, small nose and curved lips. She had the kind of body that made men lustful just by looking at her. She was petite, with curved high breasts and a nipped in waist. Halfdan traced the curves of her sides from her breasts to her waist to her thighs. All he could do was groan as he felt his manhood become even heavier. She was divine. He knew for a fact that he had fylgja,or female spirits following him and guiding him and often getting him out of trouble. He wondered if the spirits had led this woman to him. It was the only possible explanation for her getting lost and landing on his doorstep.

"Halfdan?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me, are we going to do this or do we need to stop because I think I'm getting a bit carried away?"

He had to admit he liked how she put it. He knew for a fact he too was getting carried away and he liked that she was taking responsibility as well.

"As much as I want this, you are right, we are getting carried away. We need to talk. We need to find out about each other. There will be time for pleasures later." he admitted.

"So, you do want me though..." she said a bit sheepishly, like a lost schoolgirl and not the beautiful career woman she'd grown up to be.

Halfdan smiled and took her hand. He placed it on the front placket of his trousers where they were tented.

"Doh," Alexa gulped with big eyed surprise. From what she could feel through the thick wool material of his pants, she was in for something else when they actually got down to business. She'd been wrong to call him a boy. He was a man. Thick and hard and aroused.

"No, my lady. I do not desire you at all. Can't you tell?" Halfdan laughed. Alexa laughed with him. She leaned up and kissed him again long and with much emotion.

"What I meant Halfdan was do you think you might want me as your, I don't know, what to call it? We would call it "girlfriend"? Perhaps "lover"? We have to straighten everything out and figure my situation out and everything for I may well be stuck her in this place and if I am I'll need someone to stay with for awhile til I can help myself. I may need your help. If we can figure out how to get me home you might want to come with me and see what the things are like where I am from?"

"Hold on..you are going too fast for me....lover....yes..I suppose you could be my lover...but I don't like that term. I'd rather get to know you and I'd rather know that you were my betrothed. We will find a way to figure our situations out together."

"You would want to marry me?"

"Of course. You have a pleasing demeanor and are so beautiful that it breaks my heart to look upon you."

"You said you have a situation."

"Yes, I'll explain everything to you as well. You may find that I am not what you want and that you have no interest in me anymore after you hear my story. In fact I fear that greatly."

"Are you going to tell me that you've been married before or that you have a kid somewhere or something like that." Alexa sighed.

"No, but what I have to say is much worse."

"I cannot imagine anything worse that that."

"Alexa, I was born a slave. In fact, I was a slave only six months ago. My father freed me on his death bed in agreement for my mother going with him on his Death Ship. I went from thrall to chieftain's son overnight, but at the cost of losing my mother forever. " Alexa listened to his words quietly and bowed her head. Unfortunately Halfdan took her actions as disgust.

"I knew that you would not be able to stand being with a slave. I wouldn't be good enough for a woman of quality such as you. But know this. By my blood I am a chieftain's son and my mother, though she spent most of her life as a thrall and the concubine to my father, she was really an Irish Princess. I should have been the grandson of an Irish King. My father chose to keep my mother and I in bondage... I watched my father rape my mother, that's why I went crazy when I saw those men attacking you..."

Alexa grabbed Halfdan in a hug as tight as she could and she tipped her face up towards him, forcing him to look at her.

"I've made a decision Halfdan. For right now, I know that I cannot go back home. I am stuck here. For some reason I do not care. It is as if my heart is hardened. Perhaps that is magic too. I believe I am meant to be with you. Truly I am. I've never felt like this about anyone and I've only known you a few hours. I don't care who you were in your early life. I respect you for what you've done for me and what you've risen above. The fact that you were a slave and you can fight the way that I saw you fight in that alley? That's amazing. I wouldn't imagine that most slaves have the manners you have and would not act like a gentleman the way that you do. Obviously your mother was a great woman because she raised you well." Alexa noticed there were tears in Halfdan's eyes as she spoke. "Now, I've decided that I want to stay with you if you will have me."

"Yes, my Alexa, I will have you," Halfdan replied

"Now, that's settled, one more little thing before we get to the serious talking stuff," she said.

"Anything, name what you want and if I can provide it you shall have it, love," Halfdan, said smiling.

"I want you," she said pulling at his tunic and managing to get it most of the way over his head. Halfdan's eyes got large.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. More positive of this than anything in my life. I've never actually wanted this before. Never. And right now I want to have sex with you. I know I'm being blunt and terribly wicked but I can't help it. I'm just saying the truth. If you could only feel what I feel for you you'd know what I need. I can't even put it into words it's so obscene."

The growl that came from Halfdan was primal and fierce. He managed to get her white knit turtleneck sweater off in one swoop. The Victoria's Secret bra underneath however was mystifying to him but also turning him on. He'd managed to push her against the wall of their bed room in between the bed and the desk. Her bra was a light pink with a lace overlay. It was designed in the pushup style making her breasts appear even larger to him.. Alexa watched in fascination as Halfdan took his index finger and traced the plump top of her breast which peaked out over the top of her bra. At the pinnacle of each one you could just see where the nipple aureola began and Halfdan slipped his finger under the bra there to tease. Slowly he pulled the cups down, unsure how to get them off.

"Here, this is how you unhook it." Alexa demonstrated how to unhook the bra in the back for him. In a second her glorious breasts were free for him to lave and touch.

"They are beautiful, my angel." he said as he drew the nipple of the right breast into his mouth and suckled hard.

"MMMMM," was all Alexa could reply. He then moved to the next breast drawing it's nipple into his mouth and suckling deeply as well, and pinching the other.

He allowed her to remove his green wool trousers and boots. He stood naked before her but was not shy. That was one thing about Danes, they were not shy about their bodies. Alexa was simply in awe. The man in front of her was a god. His chest and abs were cut. He looked like a man who spent countless hours in a gym. She supposed it came from hours of rowing on a long boat. That would make the most sense. His abs were cut into his groin in pure muscle. There was a fine patch of dark black hair and his manhood stood out proud and strong. Just like everything else about the viking, it too seemed to be bigger than life. Alexa placed her hands on his sides and then kissed his nipples just as he had hers. His growl of satisfaction made her realize that she was doing something right. Then she kissed her way down his stomach, licking and kissing in alternating succession. She loved licking the definition lines that went down his abs. It evidently tickled because she could hear him and feel him moving underneath her and against the wall she had turned him against. She traced the lines all the way to his groin and she heard him wailing under his breath.

She pulled back when she got to his penis. She'd never seen an uncircumcised penis before in her life. And certainly not a man as large as Halfdan. Her look of fear must have been quite apparent to him, for he raised her chin up and said, "Don't be afraid little one, I'd never hurt you. I've seen my father hurt my mother too many times. You are too willing and wanting of me for me to ever do anything to change that."

Alexa was touched by his short speech. So she only shook her head. She was surprised when he easily picked her up and placed her on the bed. She sank down slowly within it. She felt his weight beside her. He wasn't through with her yet though. Someone had obviously taught him a few ways in how to treat a woman, for he was soon kissing her thighs, eliciting sighs and giggles from her. With her legs now spread before him he took those long fingers and caressed her woman's center. She felt as though she couldn't breathe, but not in the way of the asthma, this was a different way altogether. She felt like she was falling. His thumb rubbed small circles against the small nub that was the center of her pleasure as he slipped one long finger inside her.

"Ah," she cried out.

"Have I hurt you?" he asked, concerned.

"No, NO! That feels awesome," she cried out.

"Is awesome a good thing?"

"The very best." She replied bucking against his one finger. He quickly added another. She felt as though she were in heaven, especially when he curled those fingers in a way that touched a part of her that she didn't know existed. Alexa had had sex a couple of times with Jacob but the times had been nothing like this. There'd been no foreplay and to be honest both times had been uncomfortable for her, though he'd seemed to enjoy it. She'd often wondered if would regret having given her virginity to him. Now that she was learning what real sex felt like, she knew she regretted it. She should have waited for Halfdan. Innately she knew Halfdan would have treated her experience with more respect and love and kindness. She might have even enjoyed it regardless of the pain. She was building up to something. huge and she just couldn't see over the ridge top. She needed something and she didn't know what. Like a fool all she could do was cry out, "Help me, Halfdan, I'm...I need something, I don't know.."

But he did help her. He began thumbing her clit harder and thrumming her insides with a deeper beat and just when she was thrashing about on the bed thinking she couldn't take anymore he leaned over and literally bit the tar out of her left breast. That was it. She was finally exploding. It was a feeling unlike anything she'd imagined possible. Like every nerve ending was taxed to the limit and then suddenly relaxed at once. She felt a liquid ooze out of her body and onto his hand and hoped it wasn't too disgusting. It just happened when the explosion occurred within her. She'd officially had her first orgasm. When it was over, she lay overwhelmed on the bed, breathing heavily, with Halfdan smiling over her.

"You were so beautiful when you were laying in my arms in pleasure."

"That's never happened to me before. I didn't know something like that was really possible. Thank you." Alexa gushed. She leaned forward and kissed Halfdan on the mouth. "Where did you learn to do that for a woman?"

Halfdan blushed and looked down. "I'm a Dane. We become men at a younger age than your men do I suspect. Someday I'll explain to you how I come by what little experience I have. I promise you that right now, you have my heart though."

"And you have mine. Take me. I am yours."

That was all she had to say. Slowly, Halfdan placed himself at the entrance to her womanhood. He slipped inside her inches at a time watching her face for signs of distress. At times he could tell that she was uncomfortable and he would stop for a second or so for her to get adjusted again. Eventually he managed to place himself all the way within her. It was a tight slick fit that gave him immense pleasure. He couldn't see why the men of his people would want to take women against their will when you could have a woman like Alexa who was warm and willing. He'd only once felt something like this, but it couldn't compare to Alexa's body, for Genevieve had been young and scared. Alexa was willing and loving, even now wrapping her legs around his waist so that his body would slip even farther into hers. His groan of satisfaction was impossible to tame. It would be difficult to reign himself in and not use her hard. He wanted to slam himself up inside of her or throw her up against the wall and then bury himself inside of her until nothing was left. He wanted his seed inside of her and someday he wanted her to have his children. He wanted to possess this woman so that she never left him. He didn't care where it was she was came from. She was his now. No one else would ever have her. No one. He began thrusting hard against that spot that caused women joy. He could hear her moan. He repeated it. He wanted to feel her joy again as he'd seen it before. He wanted to feel that wet confirmation that he'd pleasured her. He could do it. He continued to thrust hard. He heard her call his name and he almost lost it himself. Then he felt it. That contraction of her female walls and the wet slick liquid flowing down around him. He was done. He came in spurts around her. He hadn't lasted long, but he knew he wouldn't. He'd wanted her too badly. There would be time for long sessions of pleasure making later. For now he'd be happy to simply hold her tonight in his arms and then trade stories later. He just prayed to the gods that she would still travel with him after he told her he was a killer.


	2. Chapter 2

Bad Romance: Chapter 2 (Please Review)

Early dawn broke and the bit of light coming through the small window woke Alexa. She found herself to be warm cuddled down in a course wool blanket and held in strong arms. The arms were unfamiliar to her until she began to regain her senses. The night before began to rush back. The attack in the alley and Halfdan's defense of her. Her immense attraction to the young man and then coming back to the Inn. They'd talked for awhile. He'd told her some of his story although she hadn't told him much about herself yet. They'd made love. Boy had they made love. He'd even told her he'd marry her. Rash promises she thought. He did seem to be young, but in this time period people married at least ten years younger than they did in her time.

Noticing that she was awake, Halfdan placed a soft kiss on her brow. She couldn't help but smile. He was so different from Jacob, who could often be counted on to be brusque and thoughtless. The two times he'd spent the night with her he'd snored half the night keeping her up. Forget waking up in his arms in anything that resembled a romantic fashion. This morning with Halfdan was almost straight out of a romance novel she thought dreamily.

"Are you awake yet?" Halfdan asked.

"Working on it," she replied with a yawn. "I don't do mornings well. I'm much more of a night person."

"We have much to do today," he said, gently stroking her back. It felt so good that she decided she would purr if she were a cat.

"You know something," she started to ramble. She had a bad habit of that in the mornings.

"What, love?"

"I've decided you aren't much of a viking by what I know of them by my history books."

Halfdan sat half up in the bed and shot her an angry look. Alexa did a mental "whoops". _Good job there, stepping on the old viking pride._

"And what is it that I have done that is not as it should be with your history books?" he asked, anger just below the surface. Alexa thought that maybe she didn't want him mad at her too often.

"Nothing. It was a joke really. I'm sorry. It's just that all the history books kinda paint Vikings as being bad guys. That you spend all your time on your ships raiding other people's lands and stealing everything they have and when you are through with that you steal their women and rape them. And they say that you were mean. Really mean, with tempers. Although I can kinda see your temper right now. They said that all you wanted to do was fight and eat. With the whole Valhalla thing. Your idea of heaven was to fight all day and drink all night. Not much time for love in there. But anyway, you seem different. You saved me when you didn't even know me and you could have taken advantage of me there in that alley way but you didn't. I've never meet a more loving guy in my life. You've been so sweet to me. To wake me up with a kiss in the morning. Well, that's just so...Un-Viking.."

Halfdan sat for a long few seconds and then he slid back in under the covers where he could take her back in his arms again. Alexa breathed a sigh of relief. He still didn't speak for another thirty seconds or so. Finally when he did, she understood.

"You are right about some things to which I suppose I regret and for other things I'm thankful that you see me the way you see me. You see your books are correct. Danes are a war like people much of the time, but the rest of the time we live on farms and small estates just like everyone else. My father owned an estate and a small farm. By rights both of them are mine now, but my half-brother Toke has claimed them. That is part of the personal business I told you about last night that I have to settle. Some Danes, like Toke are crazy mad with anger. We call them Berserk. Toke has no love in his heart for man or beast. He killed my brother along with countless other men, women and children in a coward's attack on my father's farm. I alone survived but only because my brother wanted someone to be able to claim the blood-debt that was owed. I was able to survive by my wits and my abilities with my bow and arrows alone. I made it down to the seaport of Hedlby and was taken on by Jarl Hastein on his longship. That was my first and last Viking trip. We were told we were going into Frankia to help secure our borders but really we were going raiding. I saw things there that I hope never to see again. I've killed men, Alexa and I hope that you are not frightened of me because of it. I've never killed because of malice or want, only because I'm a warrior and sometimes that's the position warriors are placed in. It's kill or be killed. I'm lucky to have survived many of the skirmishes that I've lived through. I was happy to leave Frankia but to be honest I did leave there a wealthier man. When we got to Ireland I left Hastein's company in his favor which I needed if ever I have to bring Toke to trial for his crimes."

Alexa absorbed the information as best she could. She understood the stuff about being a warrior as she had a cousin in the Marines. What was bothering her was the part about Toke. Where was he and was he after Halfdan?

"But I don't understand? Are you here in Ireland after Toke? What will you do if he finds you?"

"If he finds me we will fight and hopefully I'll kill him." he replied with steel in his voice.

She looked up into his deep brown almost black eyes. He meant every word he said. From his earlier words this Toke was a dangerous man. Not someone to be trifled with. Someone who could kill him and take him away from her. It was strange how quickly his life had become so essential to her life. She noticed again the deep gash in his cheek that he'd gotten in the fight the night before. It wasn't deep enough that it needed a surgeon but she'd love to have some Neosporin to put on it to help it heal. He'd carry a scar for her the rest of his life no doubt. It didn't matter. She knew he'd already put a scar on her soul, or rather a brand just as surely.

"Tell me what you are thinking." he said anxiously.

"That I am scared."

"I'll protect you. I would never let Toke hurt you."

"But would you let him hurt you? I think that might just hurt worst right now."

She saw Halfdan shut his eyes and then lean down and kiss her gently. Slowly the kissing intensified until their bodies were moving along each others. It seemed they had an attraction for the other that could not be quenched. When the passion had finally settled down, Halfdan began to question her about her theories on how she came to be there in the first place.

"Wormholes." she replied.

"I know you are a small woman but I don't think you fell into a worm's hole," he replied smiling and chucking her on the nose.

"Not a worm's hole but something we study in astrophysics called a wormhole. It would be hard to describe to someone who hadn't studied it themselves but the easiest way to describe it would be to imagine if two stars were to burn themselves out. It creates so much energy that the energy has to go somewhere.

"Energy?"

"Like when you run, you get tired. You are burning off energy and,well, think how much energy the sun puts off. The sun is a star too." Halfdan nodded his head but his eyes looked a little glazed. She had a feeling she was talking over him.

"Anyway, this energy is so much that is can pull objects inside itself. So deeply that they disappear forever."

"You don't know where they go?"

"No. We think though that maybe wormholes are when gravity pulls in on itself in a similar way. We think that time travel may be theoretically possible, but the people I work with have only thought it possible in space where the stars are. What if it was possible on Earth? What if people have been disappearing like me for years and traveling through time instead of disappearing?"

"Is there any way back?"

"I don't know, because I don't know how I got here?"

"What were you doing when you ended up in that alleyway?"

"I had stopped beside the road to see a ruin. Here's the kicker. I'd never seen it before and it was of a viking burial mound. I've had enough history that I know it was. It was a viking burial ship. I even saw the burial mounds. There was a sword and a dagger next to them with all sorts of gold and different house items surrounding it."

Halfdan simply stared at her as if in amazement.

"We have no way of knowing whose burial ship it belonged to either." he said rather intelligently.

"No, if we did we might be able to find a portal or something to send me back through." Alexa sighed.

"Yes, you are right, though I must confess that I'm not too fond of the idea of sending you back anywhere. I want to keep you with me for as long as I'm on this earth." His words affected her deeply. She'd never had anyone talk to her with such deep affection short of her own kin. He didn't even know her that well, but he wanted her and had vowed to protect her with his own life. Who knew such men existed anywhere. Women in her time would kill to find a such a man.

"Would you think about coming with me to live in my time?" She asked although she knew that such a transition would be difficult if not impossible for him to make. She wondered what the transition would be like for her to live life in this time. She would have to make it for the time being. She had no other choice for she had no idea how to get home. At least she had been given a protector, friend and, yes, lover. She believed with all her heart that Halfdan would not let anything too bad happen to her, but she did worry about this blood debt that he had going on with Toke. What would this draw her into?

"I'm not sure. I've never imagined living anywhere except in my own lands. I grew up a slave and when I became free it was a shock to my system the first time Harold and I traveled by boat onto the estate that my father had left for me. The lands that Harold died trying to protect from Toke. I never thought that I'd travel any farther than the estate I grew up and worked upon. Then when I traveled to Frankia I felt that might be the farthest I'd ever go in life, but here I am in Ireland."

"That just proves that you are meant to go places and do great things Halfdan. You said it yourself that you are the son of a Chieftain and the grandson of a King. You have royal blood in your veins. That's not why I love you," she said it before she even realized it was out of her mouth, but it was out and she couldn't take it back. She had to continue on. "But you will get your lands back and you will go places and do great deeds. I know it. I've never met a man even remotely like you in my time. There are only a few men I know that I respect as much as I do you and I'm related to all of them by blood." She finished her speech by kissing him on the cheek.

Halfdan seemed to be highly affected by her speech. He took his hand and cupped her face, slowly tracing her cheek with his thumb.

"Do you love me truly?" he asked.

"I didn't plan to say that but it just sorta came out." she admitted.

"Is it true?" he asked again. Alexa studied her heart as best she could. She thought about her feelings for Jacob. She hadn't thought about him much since she'd been with Halfdan and when she had most of the thoughts had been less than positive. Jacob just couldn't compare at all. She'd never told Jacob she loved him and she couldn't remember him ever reciprocating the sentiment. She'd been crazy about him the first month or so they'd dated but as she'd gotten to know him the excitement had worn off. His stinginess with both his affection and time dominated their relationship.

"Yeah, I guess that I do seem to love you. It strange in that I've just met you but yes I do." Alexa smiled at Halfdan What else could she do?

She was shocked when he got out of bed completely and starkly naked, not even mindful of the cold. He walked over to his clothes but didn't seem to be wanting to put them on, which she considered a good sign She'd been afraid she'd scared him off a little. Instead he took his sword from it's scabbard and pulled it out slowly examining it as he did so. She noticed that he always seemed to do that when he had time to kill and he wasn't fighting for his life. He ran his hand up along the sharp seam.

"Don't get cut," she exclaimed stupidly, feeling like his mother. He simply grinned back at her.

"I think I can manage my own sword, love. It's you that I worry about," he replied.

"Me. What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" She slurred her words together. She knew that she shouldn't revert back to the colloquialisms but when she got a bit thrown for a loop with him, she tended to do that. Luckily, he just didn't question them anymore and he took them for what they were. Simply sayings. From the 20th century. Halfdan walked over to Alexa, while she huddled over in the bed. He was still completely uncovered in all his naked glory. She hated to stare but then at the same time she wished she had a ruler to measure him up. He had to be over 7 inches long. He had to be. But she knew she was digressing. It was just that he was so pretty to look at. His stomach was thick with ropes of muscle as well. The cords bended as he put himself on one knee next to the bed. One hand held his sword out to her and the other hand took her right hand in his own.

"Alexandria Harrison, would you do the honor of marrying me? I do not have much in this world except my honor. I know that you know I owe a blood debt that that is deeper than I can pay and I only pray you will not be caught up in it for you are innocent. But that you would still love me enough to follow me to gods know where? ...

"Yes, Oh, God, Yes," Without thinking of the consequences too broadly Alexa jumped up and grabbed Halfdan around the neck kissing him on the lips. Their kiss was passionate but simple.

"What's the sword for, Halfdan?" she asked.

"This is my sword as you know." he replied. "but right now it is yours. They will give it to you as part of the ceremony. If it is all right with you I'm going to try to find a priest or priestess of Freya who can marry us today since it is already Friday"

"Why do they give me your sword? What would I do with it and furthermore what will you do for a sword? Can't I just give it back to you once the ceremony is over.?"

"No. It's a symbol of fertility. The idea it that you will carry the sword until our first child has been carried".

"Child! We are just talking marriage today! Rushing things along here don't they?" Alexa exclaimed.

"Not exactly. For all we know you could already have conceived." Halfdan looked somewhat pained at Alexa's reluctance and upset over the idea of children.

"That's highly doubtful actually."

Halfdan looked scared. Really scared.

"Is there some reason that you cannot have children, love?"

"Oh, no. It's just that back home, women have a way of choosing when they want to become pregnant. They can take a medicine, we call it birth control. It comes in a pill or a tablet that you take every day that prevents you from getting pregnant. I've been on it for several months now and it takes a while for it to get out of your system sometimes. Or sometimes not. It just depends. Everyone is different. Some women can miss one pill and get pregnant. I don't know, I'm just saying that because I took it for so many months and it may take me awhile to be pregnant."

Halfdan had the look of a man who had been splashed with cold water. As if all his great plans had been dashed, or maybe his heart broken. He rose slowly from where he'd been on bended knee in front of Alexa still holding his sword. He cradled it in front of him and walked slowly in front of the small window that looked down upon the street below them. The day was still just getting started and the sun was just peeking over the rooftops. Men were hustling below him, he assumed some were going down to the wharf to board ships after sleeping off a night with the drink and the ladies. Other men were opening up storefronts. He felt as much as heard Alexa behind him. She'd pulled the woolen blanket around her shoulders and was walking towards him.

"You are mad at me?" she asked matter of factually. Halfdan sighed. He had no idea how to answer her simply inquiry. He didn't know what he was. He was hurt. He was confused. He was in love with a woman from a different time period. A time where anything was possible no doubt. Who knew a woman could control whether she had children or not? It was a remarkable thing. A thing that would change society at it's deepest roots. Did it bother him that evidently Alexa had been on this medicine a few months she'd said.?Yes, it did. That meant that she had not been innocent. She'd been with this Jacob no doubt. At least he knew that she'd not meant to have his children. He wondered though, if they'd lived in her time, would she have wanted Halfdan's children? How did he ask her these things?

"Please talk to me Halfdan?" Alexa pleaded. "I know you are mad over the birth control stuff but it's just cause you don't understand. You aren't from my time and you weren't born then. Most men love it because they don't want half a dozen brats running around by a million different women."

"Then they shouldn't be getting the brats on the women in the first place." Halfdan barked.

"Well, I can't say I don't disagree with you on that. But men don't take responsibility for the children they produce. Not always. Some good men in the world do, but not all do and that's why birth control is good. It gives women a feeling that they have some say in their world."

"Is that why you are taking it? Was this Jacob not the type to take care of the children he'd get on you?"

Alexa blushed heavily. Jacob was not the person she wanted to talk about at the moment. Or ever.

"No, he and I never really got to the point we even talked about having kids together. I don't know. I don't even know what kind of daddy he would have made. Probably not a very good one. I'm not sure I wanted to find out."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have been bedding him then," Halfdan said with vehemence in his voice. Then he instantly regretted his words even though he meant them. The look of sadness and shame that came upon Alexa's face was enough to make him wish he'd never opened his mouth. He'd hurt her. He hadn't meant to.

"You don't understand at all Halfdan. In my time women are as liberated as men are. In your time cannot a man sleep with or bed any woman that he chooses just because he finds her attractive. In my time women can do the same. Oh, there are still people who would call a woman a whore for being that way but that is less and less. Now men expect a woman to sleep with him if they are in a relationship for several months. I suppose that is why I slept with Jacob even though deep down I began to know that it wouldn't work out. I knew I'd never marry him, there were many things I didn't like about him. I'm not even sure why I stayed with him as long as I did. I suppose it was just because no one better had come along and swept me off my feet the way that you did. I'm sorry if it hurt you that I'd been with someone else but evidently you weren't an angel either and you are younger than me. You won't tell me your age but I know you are younger than me and you seem more experienced than me."

"I told you that Danes become men at an early age."

"Yes, and of course becoming a man means you have to take some woman to your bed often." Alexa was now mad and using the same tone Halfdan was using earlier.

"For most Danes it does but I'm not like most. I told you that earlier. I don't kill just to be killing, I don't rape and pillage. I have morals."

Alexa sighed. She knew that. She knew he was a good man and there was no denying it. She wanted to stop this fight and she wished she could put a balm on the hurt that was evidently in his heart. It hurt her too to know that he'd been with other people but she had the good sense to know that they lived in a different time period. Each of them. They'd have to learn that each had different expectations placed upon them when it came to sex.

"Halfdan, we need to forgive each other for what has happened in each others past and understand that we are each others future. I'll never bed another but you and if you bed anyone but me then I'll take this nice sword you just gave me and find an interesting use for it, do you understand me?"

For the first time Halfdan began to grin slowly. He was understanding. He would have to forgive her for her time with Jacob and accept that quite possibly the Fates had given her to him and luck had been on his side this time. She was all he'd ever wanted and more. She was kind and witty and forgiving. He was still curious about one thing.

"And what about me?"

"What about you?"

"Had you not been on this medicine? Would you have wanted this medicine? Would you have wanted a child with me?

"It depends. If I had access to it, I think we'd need to talk about it and decide whether now is a good time for us to have a child, what with you and this blood debt. But since we don't have that option then, when the time comes I'll be happy to be the mother of your child. You'll be a wonderful father."

"And you know this already."

"Yes. It's easy to tell. You would love your children and give them the best that you could provide and you would teach them everything that you know. I'm the one who would be the unfit mother I think."

"You are wrong. I would not want anyone else to be the mother of my children. You are brave and so so smart."

"I can't help we are different because of the differences in when I grew up and the time in which you grew up. We just must make allowances for each other and love each other regardless."

"Yes, yes, you are right," Halfdan smiled at her and leaned down to give her a kiss.

"So where is my sword? Tell me what do I do with it?"

"You carry it."

"Oh, they have a saying back home about the woman wearing the pants in the family. Is wearing the sword in the family the same thing?"

Halfdan picked her up and swung her around in a hug.

"Stay here. I'm going to go get dressed and see about getting you some decent clothing and about getting a priest to marry us. I'll need to buy myself a new sword to do me for awhile too."

"Sounds like you are going shopping without me."

"You have no clothes, love."

"Details."

"Significant ones."

She watched as Halfdan put on his tunic and britches, then lastly strapping and lacing his shoes on. He walked over to her where she lounged on the bed.

"Sleep some more my love, for after we are married we won't have time for much of a honeymoon. We'll have to ride quite a ways. You'll need your rest."

She shook her head then inclined it for a kiss.

"I love you Halfdan."

"And I you Alexa."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Alexa waited for Halfdan to come back from his little shopping trip. She was supposed to be sleeping but she found that hard to do. For the first time in her life she understood the trauma that a wife felt waiting and waiting for a husband to come home when his life could be in danger. She thought of all of the things that could happen to him. She imagined Toke sneaking out from behind each corner and jumping him with the gang Halfdan had talked about. Her new husband to be wouldn't have a chance. Finally, nearly four hours later, he opened the door to their room and she breathed a sigh of relief. He appeared all in one piece except for the angry red slash across his cheek from the night before when he'd saved her from the roges in the alley way.

Halfday carried with him several large packages and on his hip he had a new scabbard which meant he'd procured a new sword.

"You're home," she cried jumping up and hugging him nearly upsetting the packages in his arms. She took several from him and laid them on the bed so that she could manage to hug him the way she'd been dying to for the last several hours.

"I missed you too," he laughed.

"You don't understand. I've been so worried." she said, with an almost tear coming to her eye.

Halfdan simply stood there. He wasn't used to anyone being this conscerned over his welfare except for his mother and she was now long dead. He took his hand and raised Alexa's chin so that she was looking into his face.

"Why were you so worried my love?"

"I kept imagining that that Toke guy and his bandits would jump out and attack you or something and you didn't have your sword with you, I had it. I was so afraid." Then the tears did start to fall.

"You've been worried all this time,"

"Yes."

"I'm guessing you didn't get any sleep either."

"It's hard to sleep when you are pacing the floor."

Halfdan took her in his arms and rocked her back and forth, kissing her brow. It would be easy to chastice her for being silly and saying she shouldn't have worried but the truth was that he had been in danger and he had skulked the whole way until he'd managed to buy a new sword. A fine one at that. Even after the purchase he'd been careful not to draw attention to himself. Her worry just proved to him what a fine woman he was marrying. She did truly love him and she was worthy of whatever protection and love he could give her.

Finally he let her go with a solid kiss on her lips.

"I love you for your worrying. You are a fine woman and I could not have chosen anyone better to be my mate. I've arranged for us to be married this afternoon before the sun goes down. The ceremony will of course just be us, but we will try to keep to the old ways. It will be done by a priestess of Freeya. I've arranged everything as best I could. You and I will leave afterwards and travel by horseback onto the road that leads into the next town over. I believe that Toke may have left and took his first mate with him there for the winter months as they cannot sail during that time."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Alexa nodded. "What did you get me to wear?"

"Like a woman, always wanting to know what you are going to wear? Some things don't change I guess in a thousand years."

"Oh, believe me, it gets a thousand times worse in a thousand years." she responded laughing.

Halfdan began unwrapping one of the bundles for her and withdrew a gown that looked like something glorious from a Renaisasance Festival. It was red and made of shiny silk. The waist was niped in under the bust in an empire style and the sleeves were puffed at the top but yet long and tapered down to a point on her third finger. The bodice was loose and flowed out in yards and yards of silk. The neckline was square coming just above her breasts which had they been much larger would have been pushed up and jutted out. She supposed that that was the intended purpose of the dress and she just wasn't large enough on top to fill it out.

In addition to her wedding dress, he'd also bought her an "everyday" dress. It was made of linen and seemed pretty durable. The skirt was a simple affair that pulled on. Over it another linen garment was placed. It looked like a tunic to her. To top it off a smock in blue was placed over the whole affair. The smock had two large pockets in front. The dress wasn't meant to be pretty it was meant to be serviceable, so she didn't complain. She was supposed to blend in.

Halfdan had also bought himself another set of clothing. They weren't much different from what he already owned, just cleaner. Another wool tunic and set of pants. The tunic was in light green and the pants were in a deep green. Alexa complemented him on them.

"I thought that the colors would camaflauge me in the woods. If you notice, the color of blue of your tunic is also a color found in the woods. I wanted us to have something that wouldn't bring notice to us if we were hinding out."

"That was smart. I wouldn't want to wear my wedding dress out in the woods." Alexa said.

"No, I figured you'd just wear the wedding dress the once and then it would be put up," Halfdan said.

"Yes, I guess you are right. It's so beautiful though. It's a shame it won't get to be worn again." Alexa sighed.

"Come here beautiful." Alexa walked into his arms.

"We have this room for two more hours."

"Hum, what could we do for two more hours?" she began to "mock" start to think.

"Well, as I told you we aren't going to get much of a honeymoon."

"So you want to take my innocence early. You wretched man!" Alexa exclaimed.

"Yes, I am a bad bad man, I want to claim you for myself. I don't want you to ever remember any other man before me." Halfdan said flipping her over on the bed so that he was leaning over her.

"What men Halfdan?"

"Ummm," he growled as he began tugging off his tunic that she'd put on earlier to sleep in, or rather to worry in. It was a simple task to get it off. Before him, her body glowed in her California tan. He ran his hands along her sides and down along her hips, then he used his lips to trace where his hands had been.

"Oh, God," Alexa begged as she felt his lips tracing the sides of her hips tenderly. He began to suck on her hip bones where they jutted out, his other hand reached up and traced along her stomach and up to her breast. He was so gentle and hestitat with his touch. He tentitavily touched her right nipple, stroking it up til it became hard.

"Please, Halfdan," she begged, although she wasn't sure what she was begging for at first. She wanted so much. Halfdan continued rolling the nipple around in his hand as he suckled on her hipbone. Then he licked his way to her belly and the concaveness there. His hand was fully holding onto her breast now, with his thumb flicking her nipple. He lowered his head again and managed to part her thighs easily with his shoulders. He could feel her breathing hard and he knew what she needed. He could even smell her arousal before he even got there. With his free hand he caressed the mound at the apex of her thighs bringing cries from her. She was so beautiful Halfdan thought, even down here. There was a small amount of black hair that covered her entrance but it was artfully arranged, not ugly like some women's private areas were. With his finger he slowly worked a finger through her woman's folds. Again he heard a held back scream from her. She was so soft down here. He let go of her breast so that he could use both hands to explore. And explore he did. Gently he used both hands to pull her folds apart to that he could see inside of her woman's parts. He'd never done this before, though he had of course been inside a woman. He'd never seen what a woman really looked like. He'd been instructed briefly on how to please a woman when he turned 14, but they still didn't tell him all about this.

"Please Halfdan. Do it. I need it," Alexa begged.

"Do what love?"

"You know what? Geez are you gonna make me beg?" Yes, Halfdan thought. Because I'm clueless and I need to know what it is that turns you on and what it was that evidently Jacob did that made you happy that I don't know how to do. Halfdan was burning up with jealousy and fire.

Halfdan continued to stroke her folds with his long fingers hoping that this was what she wanted. He'd been instructed that women liked that as well as having those same fingers inside of them. He was about to do that when she cried out again.

"Please, I will beg."

"Tell me what you want me to do."

"It's embarassing to say it outloud."

"We are to be married in a few hours. Nothing should be embarrassing between husband and wife."

"You think?"

"I know. Tell me what turns you on so much yet at the same time it strikes fear into your heart to simply ask me to do it for you?" Halfdan asked. He heard Alexa sigh softly before she answered him in a voice that was so soft and low that he would have missed it if he hadn't been listening for her answer so intently.

"Lick me."

"Uh, what" he stuttered. He didn't mean to do so. It was just a frail human habit he supposed.

"See I told you that it was embarrassing." Alexa cried out covering her face in her hands looking as if she were about to cry at any minute.

"No, I mean you want me to lick you on your female parts." Halfdan clarified somehow managing to turn what had been a sexy moment into a comforting one because he'd messed things up. Now he was doing penance and trying to make her believe it..._"oh, hell, I don't know what I'm trying to make her believe, I don't even know why she's so upset in the first place either,"_ Halfdan thought to himself. Still he comforted her and told her that he knew what she had meant and that it wasn't bad or "dirty" and that she wasn't a "bad" or "dirty" girl for wanting it in the first place.

"It's not a big thing, Alexa, what's the difference? I love it when you lick me between my legs. It gives me chills and shivers and feelings that I can't explain. Sometimes I don't think I'll live through it. It feels so wonderful. It's only fair that you should be given the same kind of pleasure on your body."

"Yes, but all my life, I've been taught that it was bad for a woman to ask for that. To just flat out ask for it. I mean if a man goes ahead and offers to do it during sex that's one thing but to demand a man do it for her, then that makes her just a whole new level of bitch."

Halfdan looked then back at Alexa strangely with that peculiar expressession and his head twisted to the side. lips curled and eyes clearly off in wonder trying to imagine the world I'd lived in.

"You say the times you lived in were 'progressive' and that women were equal to men but I don't see how at all. To me it looks like you are still hiding behind the men. You may get the same things the men do but at what cost? And do you get it when you want it? And the way you want it or need it."

Alexa could only nod her head 'no' because even though he was nearly 1100 years younger than her, he had a maturity she had yet to master. He'd seen things in life she prayed she'd never see. She'd lost loved ones yesterday she didn't want to ever lose. Even still, Halfdan's losses trumped hers by a mile. He'd known nothing but loss and sadness growing up. His own father had owned him as a child. How much more abusive can you get than that?

Without saying anything else, Halfdan placed his face down between her legs. He wondered if he could do a good job? Evidently Jacob had done this for her and she'd liked it. He wanted her to like it more when he did it. With his tongue Halfdan slowly traced up the two outside petals tickling as he went. She sighed. Then he found the bud that always made her squirm and he tickled it with his tongue.

"Yes, that's it Halfdan." she almost screamed.

Thankful that he'd found what she needed, he continued to please her, circling the bud and vibrating it as much as possible. He reached up again and found her breasts and held them for himself. He ran his finger over the nipples stimulating them in time with the stimulation he was giving her clit.

"Ah God I'm coming, Halfdan." From experience he knew that soon there would be liquid coming from her. He wondered if he should move or if it would be interesting to see what the liquid was like. It might be sexy to drink it, just the way that she drank his liquid when he came. He heard her scream and then her spasm around him several times. He looked up in time to see the look of total bliss on her face. He'd done that. He'd put that look on her face. He loved her. Then it came, the liquid bliss. He stuck his tongue between the petals of her body and drank. It was an interesting taste. Clear. As he sucked her dry and his tongue moved around her body cleaning her she moved trying to keep her body in contact with his tongue. Eventually it was over and Alexa lay back sated.

"That was unbelievable," she murmurred with her eyes shuttered. She reached out for him hesitantly hoping he would come into her arms. Her hopes were easily answered. She noticed that Halfdan had a huge what people in her time would refer to as "shit eatting" grin on his face.

"What's with you?" she asked.

"Hum?" he grunted the smile gone.

"You look like the bird that ate the canary."

"Oh."

"You looked pretty happy with yourself there."

"Oh. No. Only happy if you were happy. You were happy weren't you?" He shot off in rapid fire succession. Maybe he wasn't as grown up as she thought he was she decided. She liked that though. She didn't want an over cocky guy. Jacob could be over cocky and goodness knows that there was no reason for it because it wasn't because he was satisfying her in anyway.

"I was happy, Halfdan." she reaffimed for him, "Just don't get cocky on me. I don't like that trait in guys. I'd think it would make them a bad lover."

Evidently she said the wrong thing because he frowned. Big time frowned. As in gloomy storm cloud Kansas tornado winds coming head for the storm shelter kinda weather frowning.

"What did I say?"

"Why do you say that? Make a bad lover? How many lovers have you had? I thought you'd only been with this Jacob guy?" he asked inignant.

"That's true. I was a virgin up until him and I've only been with him twice. Why are you so jealous?" She shot back at him.

"Because in our time most women are innocent when they are married. They don't sleep with other men before they marry unless they are a slave woman who's bodies are owned and can generally be taken by any man with any authority over them."

"I thought in this time any man had authority over a woman."

"No, women have rights. You could have told me no."

"Gee, thanks for telling me that now." she said, just to make him feel bad. She had no idea how bad it did make him feel. Of course, she hadn't taken into account the fact that his mother had been a thrall and slave to the whims of his own father. The only thing that had saved her from the other men on the estate had been that it had been a generally known fact that she belonged to Hrorik and that any other man who tasted her pleasures would feel Hrorik's axe. At one time she and Hrorik had been deeply in love but his father's love of money and positition had come in between so he had married Gunhild, a shrew of a woman who had lorded over the first 14 years of his life with a switch and a cane.

"I would never have forced you," he said rolling off of her and standing up. He was truly in a state now. Halfdan was shaking. He didn't know what hurt worse. His heart was aching fiercely for he'd believed that this woman had loved him. Stupid. He'd only known her a matter of hours really. Any nave would have known better and he wasn't that innocent. Not after everything he'd been through. She could have easily taken him for everything he had, had she known he had anything at all to take. Luckily he always took what silver he had with him in a coin purse, so she couldn't steal that from him. Most women wouldn't steal a man's armor, even if it could be pawned and sold. He'd just felt differently about her. He'd thought her story to be true. Even more telling, was that his body still hurt for her. Even as betrayed as he felt he still wanted and needed her. He walked over to the bedside where he'd discarded his clothing. He began picking up the clothing and shaking them out with the intentions of putting them back on. Let her find her own way in the world he thought.

Halfdan felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Alexa standing behind him, large tears in her eyes.

"You are leaving me?" she asked.

"What would you have me do?" he asked brusquely.

"I would have you stay."

"Why?"

"Because I love you. I don't even understand really why you are leaving. I was just joking. I know you never forced me. I've told you the truth about everything. I've only been with Jacob the twice. Women in my time do things willingly. I know you don't understand that but it's a different time period. I thought I cared about him. I'd not met you yet. Can't you understand that I've agreed to marry you after having only known you less than 24 hours. That's an amazing thing to me. I figured I'd be in my upper 20s before I'd marry and I'm only 21, though I suppose you think I'm an old woman. I'm not a whore Halfdan, not compared to my roommate anyway, just don't tell her I ever said that. I couldn't imagine losing you now that I've found you and I thought you cared about me too or is this mission of yours too important."

Halfdan whirled around on her.

"This has nothing to do with Toke. I just couldn't understand why a beautiful girl like you would lower herself by losing her innocence before her marriage, that's all."

"Well, you were the one doing a great deal of the instigating. Saying we wouldn't have time for a honeymoon and all that."

"I suppose I could have made time for one."

"You didn't tell me that."

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm holding you to standards you aren't used to."

"And I'm sure you'll do it a lot more before this marriage is through too." she sighed.

Halfdan smiled in the way that she had grown to quickly love. "Will you forgive me?" he asked in a kind voice.

"Yes," she answered, "as long as you put your stuff down and don't leave me here by myself." Alexa decided she wasn't crazy about how needy she was sounding, but she _was_ needy at the moment. She was stuck in between a rock and a hard place. She needed the physcial protection that Halfdan could provide and she really was falling in love with him. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like if he walked out the door at that moment.

"I probably wouldn't do it anyway. I would be too worried about you by the time I even got to the bottom of the staircase," he sighed.

Alexa laughed. Perhaps, just perhaps, Halfdan truly did love her. She hugged him to herself noticing that his body was in a rather stiff condition. Yes, he did still love her, or at the very least he did desire her.

"I see you are still interested in me," she laughed.

"I guess the evidence is there," he smiled at her again.

"So after subtracting all the time for that useless fight how much time do we have left for our honeymoon?" she asked.

"Time enough," he replied, picking her up in one fell swoop and carrying her back to bed.

They packed up their belongings, meager though they were and dressed. Alexa put on her red wedding gown and tried to do something with her long dark hair with the silver comb Halfdan loaned her. He told her it was his mothers so she was extra careful in making sure that none of the vicious snarls in her hair didn't break any of the fine teeth that made up the precious comb. After announcing herself ready, she turned herself around only to see Halfdan looking at her somewhat stunned.

"Do I look that bad? I know I'd look better with some makeup but I'm just not the kind of girl who carries makeup around in my bag you know," she bagan rambling.

"You are beautiful. What's makeup?" he asked.

"Oh, it's this stuff women put on their faces to hide their imperfections and flaws. You know like how you have that little place on your face," she quickly pointed to a small acne lesion that mared his otherwise perfect complection. "Back home a girl would cover that up, so that her boyfriend wouldn't see it."

"Do the men cover up their imperfections too?"

"No, not most men anyway. It's not seen as manly."

"I wouldn't think it would be." he snorted in the way men had evidently been doing for thousands of years. Alexa couldn't help but laugh. Evidently some things just never changed did they?

"Are you ready to go visit the priestess?" he asked softly, as if he were afriad that if he said it too loud she'd change her mind and back out.

"Yeah, I'm ready, but I thought you said we weren't getting married until this evening? What are we doing until then?"

"We've got some things to do til then. I've got to get you fed first. We need to find some horses. I've got to scout around and see if I can find out for sure that Toke has left."

"Ah, and what will I be doing all this time?"

"Doing what you will always be doing."

"Following you I guess." she sighed.

"At times, when it's not safe to stand beside me."

"Okay, I can accept that answer," and she supposed she could. It wouldn't be prudent in this day and age to always be standing by his side. Not when he was fighting and he needed to be protecting her.

"Halfdan?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to teach me to fight? Just in case."

"I'd rather I didn't have to."

"It would probably be smart to do so." Alexa said walking up to him and placing her arms around him. Sometimes using a little feminine wiles was a good idea. "I mean what if I got caught out and you weren't there to protect me and I had to protect myself?"

"That's not going to happen."

"Anything can happen Halfdan. You know that." She replied running her fingers through his dark silky black hair.

"Don't think I don't know what you are trying to do to me." He mumbled.

"Is it working?"

"Yes,"

"Then after the wedding is through and we are on the road you can teach me how to defend myself. I'm just used to being self-reliant and I don't like the idea of being totally helpless."

"Well, we'll see." he replied, leaning down and kissing the tip of her nose and taking up her bag. They walked downstairs hand and hand. Alexa looked the place over good in the daylight. It really did seem like a seedy place in the light of day now that she wasn't so sick and so tired and so frightened out of her wits. Halfdan walked her over to the bar and sat her down on a stool. He ordered some dish she'd never heard of and she prayed it was edible. When it came, it turned out to be something similar to burgoo, served with warm wine. She was so hungry she figured it could have tasted like shit and she would have eaten it. They didn't talk much while eating, they simply enjoyed each other's company and sporadically held hands under the table. Alexa wondered silently what was going on in her old world and if anyone had found her car. Were there search parties looking for her? Was her roommate freaking out? Had her poor parents been notified she was missing yet? She even wondered if Jacob gave a damn.

Halfdan on the other hand was trying hard not to pinch himself. It was hard not to stare at the beauty sitting across from him. She'd just fallen into his life, just as so many other things had fallen into his life. It was strange how the Norns had woven his life. The three ladies who manipulated a man's fate and changed his destiny. For a man born a slave he'd certainly been given much opportunity in the last 6 months of his life. He'd literally went from a slave to a king. Today he was marrying his princess. When he was a slave he'd often wondered if he would ever marry. There was not a single woman on the entire estate who had struck his fancy enough that he could imagine wanting to live with them his whole life, giving up what little he had to put shelter over their heads and food on their table. Protecting them and giving them children. It wasn't that he didn't want children. All Danish men loved the idea of passing on their livlihood to a younger version of themselves but there just didn't seem to be any woman who lived up to the high standard of womanhood that his mother had set before him. Except this one sitting in front of him. He knew in his heart that Deirdre would have loved her. She would have accepted her. So would Sigrid. He prayed that someday he would conquer Tore so that he could get his lands back in order that he could free Sigrid and take back his home. He could make Alexa the lady of his estate. It was a title that would fit her perfectly for she was a lady, he knew that inately, no matter what state she had come to him in. She was fierce too. He couldn't believe she'd actually asked him to learn to fight. He'd known he'd need to teach her to fight and he was dreading broaching the subject, but no, she had brought it up herself. She wanted to learn to protect herself and what was theirs. He couldn't imagine being more proud to call her his. Sundown could not come any sooner for him, for he wanted this marriage to take place soon.

"Halfdan?"

"Hum?"

"You are a hundred miles away. You aren't having cold feet on me are you?"

"Cold feet?" he knew it had to being one of her sayings but he didn't know what it meant.

"You don't want to call things off or something do you?" she looked so scared that it was delicious. He wanted to haul her off upstairs again and prove to her that he still wanted her and wanted her badly.

"No, I'm actually daydreaming about tonight. It can't come quickly enough for me." he said smiling.

"Oh, well, that's good," she replied finishing the last bit of her burgoo and wiping her mouth on the back of her hand for lack of anything else. At that moment the door to the Inn opened and two sailors walked in. Halfdan saw them before Alexa did because he knew better than to ever sit with his back to a door. The expression on his face told her more than anything else could. She wondered what would be best. To try to sit it out or try to smuggle him out somehow before he could try to fight them. Because she could see it in his eyes. He wanted to fight them. They had to be part of Toke's crew. Some of the people he remembered killing his brother and the others. The absolute fire in his eyes scared her.

"Halfdan," she whispered under her breath. "Is that some of you know's people? The one's who killed your family?"

"Yes," he replied tersely. She was surprised she even got an answer.

"Don't do this. Not today. You promised me a marriage not a funeral," she begged with her eyes.

"I'm sure it would be over quickly and I can take them," he said.

"There's two of them and one of you," she said, "and you haven't taught me to defend myself yet. What if something did happen to you? What would happen to me? What would they do to me?"

Halfdan continued to sit there quietly mulling his anger. He didn't want to leave. He'd come so far to kill these men and now to just leave? But she was right. What would happen to her if he challenged them and lost? It would be better to leave alive and fight another day. Wouldn't he at least like to have said he'd married this creature and took care of her for awhile. He knew the blood debt couldn't be put off indefinately but maybe for this one night. Einar, his friend who knew of his blood debt would be upset with him for putting his heart before his duty but Einar wasn't here right now was he? How would Odin feel? Would the great God punish him for breaking his oath? But they'd put Alexa in his path for some reason hadn't they?

"Can we not slip out the back or something? This is making me nervous," Alexa took his hand on top of the table, but he released it. Halfdan slowly moved out grabbing their pack and putting an arm around her. He'd noticed an exit that led into a back alley. It would be the best way out.

Alexa didn't begin breathing again until they were standing in the hot sunshine on the street outside.

"Thank you. I know walking away like that must have been hard, but I was afraid of losing you," she said, looking at the ground. For some reason, Halfdan could still make her feel shy at times. She felt him take her face in his hands and gently kiss her.

"I would do much more difficult things than that for you, if needs be," he replied making her stomach do flip flops. "Now, lets set about getting a horse. I can't expect you to walk all over Ireland."

The rest of the day was spent preparing for their journey, buying meager provisons, and a horse that for some reason Alexa named Julia. Luckily, in her mind, they saw no hide nor hair of Toke, only the early encounter with his men. The rest of the day was spent laughing and getting to know one another better. It made Alexa feel better to know that Halfdan immediately felt like a friend. Had he been born in her time period she honestly thought he would have been her friend there as well. She wondered absently what he would have been like and what he would have done for a living. Would he have went into the military? Would he have went to college and played sports with his athletic prowess? Either way she was sure she would have fallen head over heels for him just as she was now.


	4. Chapter 4

Bad Romance Chapter 4

When Alexa had pondered her marriage the few times she'd thought about it back in her own time she'd envisioned the old Baptist Church back in her home town. A long white gown with a long white train with her hair pinned up. Her mom fussing with her before the wedding. A tall wedding cake and champagne afterwards at a reception that included most of her family and the local town and hopefully some of her college friends. Such are the dreams of a small town Wyoming ranch girl.

In reality Alexa's marriage happened in a small room that had been converted into a worship place for the gods. She was pleased to see that there were candles burning at what looked like an alter but she couldn't get over her jitters. She wasn't sure at all what to expect. Halfdan had given her a sword after all. She knew that in ancient Celtic ceremonies the bride and groom were expected to have each others hands cut and bound "blood of each others blood". She supposed she could stand it but the thought made her queasy.

Luckily, the ceremony didn't involve any cutting. In fact it seemed like there was more about fertility and blessings than anything. She supposed she didn't mind that but she hoped secretly that the fertility didn't take too soon. She was lost in another time with a man she barely knew yet, who was on what some would consider a death mission. The last thing she needed was a pregnancy. Plus, the whole pregnancy thing in this time period scared her. She hated to tell Halfdan just how much. There were no hospitals. No sanitized health care providers. Only the mid-wives and right now she wasn't sure he could even provide that for her, as he didn't even have a true home. What had she gotten herself into she wondered? But not for long as she looked up into his dark brown eyes. Halfdan was so beautiful in the candlelight. She could take him home and lose him easily. The women would be all over him in a second, not to mention the managers who'd want him for movies or for modeling agencies. He was truly that awesome to behold. She never imagined a man that magnificent would want her.

Halfdan himself was in another world beholding his bride. He decided that she looked like what a Valkyrie would look like in his mind under the candle light. They were the maidens who took you to heaven. Her dark hair flowing down over her shoulders and her red dress highlighting her dark skin. Her green eyes looked up at him in what he thought was admiration or maybe that was his hope? He wanted to lean down and kiss her horribly but the priestess hadn't yet pronounced them to be one yet. He truly wished she'd get on with it.

As he was thinking this, the door to the ceremony room was thrown open and four men strode in. They were all dressed in typical Viking garb, except for one, who was much larger than the rest. He was richly dressed in a wool tunic and dark brown cape tipped in fur. To Alexa's eyes he looked mean. Almost like one of the wrestlers she'd seen on television. She almost expected to hear entrance music behind him.

"I see the whelp has found himself a bitch to play with. Are you old enough for this? Technically I'm the lad's guardian you know. You should be getting my permission before going off and getting married Halfdan." he said.

Halfdan growled. Really growled. Alexa watched as he pulled his sword.

"I'll kill you Toke. Make no mistake about it. You knew that I would kill you for Harold's death, but to disrupt my wedding! No, I'll prolong your death."

"That's funny, you puny runt. You couldn't kill me to begin with and now you say you are going to prolong my death." this man who was evidently Toke laughed. "Take him," he nodded to the men on his side.

"Not here, outside, this is a ceremonial house," the priestess clamored to no effect. Just like saying 'no fighting in church' Alexa thought absently as she grabbed for Halfdan's sword. She had no idea how to use it, but she figured that if worse came to worse she could hit one of the bastards over the head with it.

She watched as her almost husband fought the first comer. He didn't last long. Halfdan had him down and wounded quickly. She then watched as the second guy tried his luck. He didn't manage much better.

"You idiots. You cannot handle a boy." Toke exclaimed, coming into the battle. He and Halfdan exchanged sword blows making Alexa's stomach churn. Toke was so much bigger than Halfdan. Blow for blow so much stronger, but Halfdan held his own, only going down once, causing her to gasp. Toke would parry low and then high and Halfdan would meet him each time.

"Hello, what do we have here?" Alexa gasped as one of the remaining men grabbed her from behind and pulled her against a wall. Halfdan's sword clattered to the ground. The smell of his body and breath was sickening and the feel of his hands on her body was worse. She was afraid to call out for help, afraid to distract Halfdan, but the man was touching her. Touching her! She felt his hand on her breast and vowed then that she'd never become distracted in a fight again. She would learn to use Halfdan's sword if it was the last thing she did. Which might be soon the way things were looking. To make things worse the jackass was now running his mouth along her neck. That was it, she couldn't be still any longer.

"Halfdan! Help!" _God help her_ if she got him killed she thought to herself.

Thankfully, things worked out just the opposite. Halfdan glanced up at Alexa's call of distress to see the brigand fondling and kissing his wife. If he had seen red before and wanted Toke's blood, now he was in the closest thing to a berserk state he had ever known. He slashed at Toke, managing to cut his sword arm, causing him to drop his sword.

Toke looked up at him in surprise, recovering his sword but not his strength for the cut was deep and bleeding.

Halfdan quickly sent his sword through Toke's shoulder blade and Alexa heard the scream. Toke had made a mistake in not wearing his mail brynie armor and thinking he could easily take Halfdan. He got up still gasping for breath and groaning. He was holding his shoulder with his good arm, the remaining Vikings helping him recover. Halfdan went at them and they scattered like bugs taking Toke with them out the door. Halfdan would have dearly loved to follow but he had to liberate Alexa.

He turned and saw her standing there stiffly, clearly scared out of her wits as the lone Viking fondled her openly. In fact he seemed so into it he didn't see Halfdan come up behind him and stick him from behind with his sword. The man simply doubled over and was dead before he hit the ground.

Alexa could do nothing but stand there and tremble. She knew she needed to do better. She was a Viking warrior's wife and she knew she should be braver than this. _Or was she his wife?_ They hadn't even finished the ceremony. Oh, God. She wanted to cry and cry hard. She thought she was having a panic attack and she didn't want Halfdan to see it so she did the only thing she could think of. She ran. She ran hard. She didn't even see where she was going. Outside the ceremonial building there was a copse of trees that led into a forest and Alexa ran into the forest blindly, scared by forces she didn't understand. Love, fear, uncertainty.

By the time her panic had subsided she was well and surely lost through and through and had no way of tracking her way back.

_Stupid, stupid. How stupid can you be? _Alexa thought to herself. _You just ran from the man you love just because you didn't want him to see you cry. Now you are lost and you are not just lost you are lost from your own time period and you have no way back. What in the hell are you going to do?_ Worse, it was getting cold. The warmth of the day was wearing off and the chill of late October was setting in. All Alexa had on was the thin red wedding dress. She thought about the thick warm wool cloak that Halfdan had bought her that waited for her wrapped away packed up on Julia. If she hadn't been so stupid she could be sitting beside a fire right now wrapped inside of it and, even better, she could be wrapped up in Halfdan's arms. He wouldn't have been mad at her she thought to herself, but boy would he be now, if she ever saw him again, which was doubtful. And what if she ran in to Toke's gang again? She'd dropped her only means of protection. _Oh, God,_ she thought, she didn't even have her sword with her.

She wondered what would be the best course of action? Would it be better to stop and hope he would try to track her or should she just keep going and hope she ended up somewhere else safe? She could always try to backtrack? That might be best. She was sleepy. She knew that. There was a log that looked somewhat inviting. Maybe she had hypothermia. What if she fell asleep and didn't wake up? There was no use for it though. She was so tired. She had simply cried herself out as she ran. She had to sleep. Without putting my deeper thought into it, Alexa sank down next to the log, letting the lethargy take her. She curled herself up into the log and her last thoughts were of Halfdan as she drifted off into a cold slumber.

Halfdan himself was in a murderous rage, but not at Alexa. If he had wanted to kill Toke before, his intents were nothing compared to what he felt now. Toke had taken everything away from him. His family, his brother, his lands and now his wife. He had scared her so badly that she had run away from him in wild eyed fear. He had seen it in her eyes. He'd seen that kind of fear in womens' eyes before. It was disgusting. He'd watched that nasty piece of _nithing_ touch his wife in the way only he was allowed. He'd seen the vacant hollowness in her eyes as the man did it. She'd been so scared. It was the second time she'd been violated in the two days since coming into the his time period. No wonder she fled like a deer. He just prayed she didn't have one of those asthma attacks again. He held the white inhaler in his hand in wonder. He knew the medicine in his hand could possibly hold her life in the very balance. He wondered how much was left in the container. There was no way of getting any more of it since it was only produced in her own world. That scared him greatly. She said she only had the attacks monthly. He prayed to the gods that she didn't decide to have one while she was running away from him.

Halfdan let the tears run down his face as the cold wind lashed at him. He was trying to follow her path

on Julia through the forest but it was becoming tangled and soon he would have to tie up the mare and search on foot. Alexa didn't have her cloak and it was dark now. He could barely see one foot in front of the other, except for the rare bright full moon overhead. Without its glow he would be forced to give up thesearch. _No,_ he thought. _No, he wouldn't_. He wouldn't leave her out here, unprotected. He had not protected her back at her own wedding and he had failed her. He wasn't even sure how he was going to ask for forgiveness as it was. He'd promised her that he would protect her and he had failed her so miserably. He was worthless as a husband. Come to think of it, that damn Toke had interrupted the ceremony and the priestess hadn't even gotten to finish pronouncing them man and wife. He didn't care though. As far as he was concerned she was his wife and until he could get the ceremony finished somehow some other place that was the way it would be. He didn't think they'd be welcome back in that particular theater to the gods anyway.

Halfdan kept pushing on, imagining Alexa huddled somewhere, cold and alone, scared and miserable. When he finally saw something red against the backdrop of a tree he began running for it, fear in his heart. She was lying there collapsed against a fallen log, her normally dark skin white against the murkish ground. Her hair was thrown in a crazy disarray around her and her tender lips were parted. He couldn't tell whether she was alive or dead from where he was and his heart nearly stopped beating.

Halfdan dropped down on both knees next to her. Thankfully, he'd remembered to bring her cloak with him in case he did find her, for he knew she'd be cold and need to be wrapped up. He knew that she'd need more heat soon, that is if she was even still alive.

He took her gently in his arms and she awoke with a start. Halfdan couldn't remember being much more thankful for anything. He pushed back her hair from her face, knocking leaves out of it.

"Shushh. It's me. I'm here love." Halfdan whispered, emotion evident in his voice. He took the cloak and covered her up with her still cradled in his arms.

"Halfdan?" she murmured disjointedly.

"Umn Hum. I'm here. Don't be afraid." he began rocking her unconsciously. Halfdan felt her cling to him, shaking.

"So cold. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run." She gasped throatily.

"It's all fine now. I've got you now. You just got scared. It's my fault. I promised to protect you and I didn't. I'm so sorry. I failed you again didn't I? I pray you will forgive me my wife."

"It wasn't your fault. I failed you. I'm supposed to be a warrior's wife and I got sick and ran. I was so scared Toke was going to kill you. And then that other guy had his hands all over me." He felt her shiver.

"It won't happen again. I'll die before I let another man touch you."

"Don't say that. NO!" he felt her come awake then with the vehemence in her voice.

"I'll not have another man touch my wife. That was agony for me." Halfdan chocked out stroking her hair. "I killed him and I'll kill any other man who tries it. You are everything to me Alexa and do not ever forget it."

Alexa tried a weak smile, but all she could do was bury her face in his chest. It felt so good to have him with her. He had found her! She was saved! The relief was literally tangible. She wanted to hold onto him forever.

"Shush! It's okay." When he spoke, only then did she realize she was crying. Halfdan began kissing away her tears. Slowly working down her cheeks til he reached her lips gently teasing them.

"We aren't married are we?" She asked confirming his worst fears.

"I'm not sure, but as far as I'm concerned we are. As soon as we get somewhere that there is another priestess we'll try the ceremony again, if only to ease your mind, but I believe that we are married."

"Maybe the gods didn't want us married or something."

"How can you say that Alexa?" he cried, his soul tortured. What if she didn't want him after all?

"I don't know? I'm scared, that's how. I thought I'd lost you for sure. You don't know what it was like watching Toke chop at you and thinking that with ever stroke he could kill you and I'd lose everything that means anything to me anymore. I never knew how my whole world could suddenly revolve around one person. You."

Halfdan continued to stroke her hair and face alternately. He tried to piece his words together just right.

"I do know the feeling. When I saw that _nithing_ of a Dane touch you I felt was like an explosion in my chest. My whole world revolves around you as well, Alexa Hrorikson."

Alexa ran her hands along Halfdan's face and traced the lines of worry she saw there. She was still freezing but it wasn't as bad with his warm body against hers. There was something warming just in hearing him refer to her by his own infrequently used last name. From what she gathered most of the men just refered to him as Halfdan Strongbow, even though she hadn't had opportunity to see evidence of his abilities with his bow yet. Only stories.

"I'm going to start a fire, if I don't you are going to catch a draft and get sick on me," he said. The firewood was plentiful and the fire started easily using the flint and steel that he kept with him.

The two of them sat next to the warm fire and talked until Alexa drowsily fell asleep in Halfdan's arms again. Halfdan couldn't help but dwell on the day he'd 'd _almost_ made it completely through a wedding to the woman he considered his soul mate. He'd _almost_ killed Toke, but at the same time he'd _almost_ lost the most precious possession that he could imagine having. Way too many _almosts_ for one man have in one days time. What would be the ultimate price for this blood debt, he wondered? Would it be too high for him to pay?

The next morning Alexa woke up snuggled warmly in Halfdan's arms in her cloak beside the dying embers of the fire of the night before. Halfdan clearly hadn't slept for he was still awake.

"You're awake," she said quickly.

"I never slept." he replied.

"Why?"

"Simple. Someone had to watch out for us. I told you, I'm gonna protect you no matter what from now on. I've done a pathetic job so far."

"No, you've not. Last night was my fault. I'm the one who freaked out on you."

"Only because it's the second time a man has taken advantage of you in the last two days and I'm the one who has this issue with Toke, not you. It's not your fault."

"Well, then let's just agree that it was neither of our faults then. It just happened. Let's forgive each other. Thank you for coming for me though."

"Like I wouldn't? I can't live without you Alexa. I know that now." Halfdan sighed. He kissed her cheek softly.

"I don't think I could live without you anymore Halfdan." Alexa reached up and kissed him on the mouth slowly. The passion was simmering under the surface bubbling up slowly. Halfdan was afraid of scaring Alexa after what happened to her the night before. He didn't want any bad memories resurfacing and any associations made between the man who tried to rape her and himself. He wanted to be tender and soft with her, but he found it sometimes hard because his own passion could get in the way.

"Tell me if I'm doing anything wrong, love." he whispered.

"No," she gulped at him. "I love you Halfdan, you wouldn't do anything to hurt me ever. I know that."

"Thank you for your trust."

Just like that she breathed "Make love to me Halfdan,"

It startled him a bit after what she'd experienced the night before, and they were after all in the middle of nowhere.

"Are you sure?"

"More than sure." she replied looking up trustingly into his silky chocolate eyes.

As the cold grey dawn approached them, there sheltered under the log, he proceeded to do just what she asked for in the privacy of their own wooded seclusion.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Alexa kept watch for several hours allowing Halfdan some much needed sleep. During the time she contemplated her situation. It seemed so unrelealistic to her that she was married, at least in theory to the man lying beside her. He was so much more than she'd ever dreamed, even though he was young. Much younger than Jacob was. She didn't spare her ex much thought though. That was another life. She did wonder about her mother and father though and whether or not they'd be notified if she was missing. She looked again at Halfdan's sleeping face and noted how young he looked in his sleep. He looked older when he was awake. His face was so sweet in sleep, so relaxed without any of the pain and loss that it held during the daytime hours. She wondered absently what he dreamed about. The wind riffled through his dark hair and she had to stiffle the urge to run her fingers through it. It looked like it hadn't been cut in a long time, but at the same time it didn't look bad on him really. Some guys back home in her time would pay big bucks to have their hair cut like he had his styled. He'd told her he was trying to let his hair grow out the way that nobles grew their hair out. She tried to imagine him with long hair. She wasn't sure she liked it all that much. Maybe with it just touching his shoulders. That would look good she thought.

"What are you contemplating so deeply?" Halfdan asked catching her by surprise.

"Oh, you're awake?"

"Yes, and what are you thinking about? You have that wrinkle between your brows that you seem to get. And your nose is kind of puckered. You are contemplating something."

"Your hair actually."

"I didn't know my hair was that fascinating." Halfdan actually let out a chuckle that made her smile. "I know it looks ugly, but really..."

"No, no..it's just that you said you were going to grow it out and I don't know if I'll like you in long hair."

"Well, that's just the style all the nobles wear it in. You don't want me looking like a slave boy all my life now do you?"

"No, I didn't say that. Just maybe don't grow it really long. Maybe just to your shoulders or something."

"We'll see how long it gets on its own, okay?" he replied getting up and dusting himself off from his slumbers. Halfdan quickly embraced Alexa hugging her to him.

"Do I get a morning kiss?" he asked.

"Yes, you get a morning whatever you want,"Alexa replied huskily leaning into him.

"That sounds inviting," Halfdan leaned down and took her lips in his, kissing her with all he had in him. Her lips were soft under his and he let his own freely explore hers. It felt so good to have someone with him. Not just a companion, but someone who truly loved him. Someone who wanted to be with him above all others. He'd never understood the whole idea of marriage before, possibly because he hadn't come from the union of a successful one, but now he was getting the concept. This was what he'd wanted his whole life. What his mother had wanted from his father Hrorik and had been broken hearted when she'd never received. She'd wanted a real family and now he'd wanted a real family too. All he had to do was win back the means of supporting that family and he'd have all he could ever want in the world. But at this very moment he was a happy man.

"Are you going to teach me to fight today?" Alexa asked when they finally broke apart and began the walk back towards where he'd tied Julia up the night before.

"Yeah, I suppose I'm going to have to teach you to fight if you are going to defend yourself. You keep getting in trouble and it seems like I just can't stop it," he deftly moved out of the way as she moved to swipe at him mockingly.

"We need to find a better place to practice though. It's too woodsy here. We need to find a clearing somewhere. We'll find someplace today. First we've got to get to Julia and then we need to get something to eat, then we'll worry about getting you some warrior practice, okay?"

"Yes, sire," Alexa said mockingly blowing him a kiss. He grabbed her around her middle and pulled her to him as they walked the rest of the way, stumbling and bumbling over tree stumps. The going got rough as they retraced her steps from the night before.

"I don't know how you ran the way you did through the underbrush like this last night?" Halfdan said shaking his head.

"Yeah, well, I was upset and crying and not thinking too much about it. I think I'm going to have some scars for my effort," Alexa said, stopping.

She pulled up the hem on her dress showing him the many scraps and cuts on her upper legs where her tall boots hadn't been able to protect her, nor had her dress. Even her dress had cuts in it in places.

"My poor beautiful dress is going to have to be mended, I believe and it's all my fault. I'm so so sorry I ran. I promise I won't run away from you again. No matter what. I won't run unless you tell me explicitly to run okay. I learned my lesson yesterday." Alexa said looking into his deep eyes.

Halfdan swallowed, biting his lip. How on earth did the gods gift him with such a woman?A woman who didn't even need to be corrected. She was willing to correct herself and offer up apologies when one wasn't even needed. It was he who needed to aplogize to her for not protecting her. He hadn't blamed her at all for running. She was ashamed of not being a fighter. That was all he could surmise from the situation. He silently thanked Odin for giving him such a fighter of a woman because he would need her in the days that would come. Genevieve had been a good woman. A woman of virtue and strength of will, but she had not necessarily been a fighter. Only when pushed to the very limits of her being would she fight and then he wasn't sure she would make the right decisions. She would always need someone to care for her. Alexa wouldn't. Alexa seemed intent on making this marriage more of a team effort. She wanted to carry her own weight. Even though Halfdan was used to women being more or less 'in their place' he'd been raised by a strong mother and recognized what a strong woman could be like. He supposed that's why none of the wilting flowers he'd grown up with had applealed to him in any way. This was what he'd been looking for in a life partner. Someone just as strong and gutsy as him. Someone who would stand up and be loyal and do right. Halfdan turned to Alexa gulping back the tears that his thoughts had brought to mind.

"You remind me of my mother, my valkyrie. You are my angel you know that. Like the angels that come to take you to Valhalla when you die. If I died tomorrow I think I'd be mad because there could be no more lovlier valkyrie in heaven than you that could possibly take me on. I'd be disappointed you know. And I'd never do what my father did. My father was so selfish. He asked my mother to go with him on his death ship, just so he could have her with him in death when he wouldn't even marry her and make her his own rightfully in life."

"Oh Halfdan, you've had so much wrong done to you in life. I'm sorry. I hope maybe I can help make the rest of your life better than the first half has been." Alexa leaned up and captured his lips in as passionate of a kiss as she could, while she felt him hug her to him.

"I'm in love with you so much," she heard him whisper.

"And I love you as well, my Halfdan," she replied.

"Sit down, there on that tree that's fallen." he said after they'd broken apart for air.

"What?"

"I want to see how bad your legs are scratched?"

"Oh, it's not that bad!" Alexa quickly replied wishing she'd never mentioned it.

"Sit!" she was quickly learning that when Halfdan gave an order, it was much like her father at home You obeyed.

She found a somewhat dry place on the log to sit and Halfdan kneeled before her, slowly pulling her gown which he did note had torn places all along the sides up over her lovely knees and up to her hips. He hated to admit that just doing that was enough to turn him on a bit. He wondered if something was wrong with him. It was as though everytime he touched his wife, or looked at her a certain way, or that she looked at him a certain way he could feel his body become heavy with lust. He simply wanted her all the time and it didn't stop. He made her straighten out her left leg and pull off the black riding boot. Above the line, where the boot ended was a bright line of scars and 3 deep cuts left from branches that had cut deep into the soft flesh of her thigh. One was still bleeding. He did the same with her right leg. There were only 2 deep cuts on it but one of the gashes was much longer on the back of her leg and it was also still seeping. Halfdan shook his head, then laid it down on her lap. He wanted to cry. He really did, but he couldn't look weak in front of her. He was hurting though. Why hadn't she told him about this? Why had she just gotten up and walked this last mile in obvious pain, not letting him at least try to clean her wounds and bind them up. Hell, he would have tried to carry her, if she was in too much pain to walk. This was ridiculous. He felt her hands fluffing through his hair, carressing him. It felt just too good. He wasn't mad at her, he was just hurting. It was as though he failed her at every juncture.

"Why didn't you tell me you had this many cuts? You had to have been in pain? You have to be in pain now?" he whispered.

"Because it's my own fault. I was silly to run. We've already covered this. I was taught as a child to take responsibility for my mistakes. This was my mistake. I didn't want to burden you with it til we could get back to Julia and then maybe get somewhere there was water and maybe then we could clean me up."

"Don't you understand that they needed to be bound up now!"

"Yes, infection and everything."

"What's infection?"

"Oh, infection is...."Alexa stumbled at a loss..How did you describe the number one killer of people in his time period.

"Infection is disease. It's something we discovered in my time. It's what kills people when they get sick. When people get cuts and then you see that yellow stuff that forms up...that's infection. When they lose a limb from it...that's infection and gangrine. Sometimes infection gets inside people and makes them cough and it gets in their lungs and such. It kills them in that way."

"Yes, it happens every winter. I just didn't know there was a name for it."

"Well, there is an actual cure for it back home. We have what we call antibiotics. Sadly I don't have any here with me. I'd give anything for a tube of Neosporin right now to put on these cuts. But, if you can put water on things and purify it, that will sometimes ward off the infection as well. Actually, some whisky would work too. The alcohol in it would purify the wound."

"Then we have to get you near some water. We have to get those cuts cleaned. I don't want those cuts 'infected' as you call it. We'll see about getting some alcohol when we get near a town if the cuts get to looking infected." Halfdan said lifting up his head determinedly.

She watched as he began to lift her up off the log.

"What in the name of three hells do you think you are doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing girl? We haven't got very far at all to go and I'm carrying you. I'm not risking your legs. Now, you just carry your boots there. Lean your head back against me."

"I will not. There is no way you can carry me. I weigh too much."

"Are you saying I'm weak?" Halfdan snorted in disgust.

"No, I'm saying I'm a fat woman."

Halfdan sighed. "Alexa, when we get home, or even in town, remind me to show you some fat women. You are perfect. Now please just, as you say it, "shut up" and let me carry you."

And he did, bridal style, for a good fourth of a mile until they reached the juncture of the forest where he'd tied up Julia. The horse was still there thankfully. He'd secretly been afraid that some bandit had found her and made off with her and their supplies, but like a good faithful girl, the mare was still there picking the young grass that grew there by the stream that ran around the edge of the forest.

Halfdan quickly sat Alexa down and then rummaged in his pack for something he could tear up into strips of cloth. When he found what he was looking for, he walked over to the water with his canteen and filled it up and then soaked the pieces of cloth. He drank heavily himself from the stream, having had little in the way of water in the last several hours. He'd been so bent on finding Alexa that he hadn't filled up his canteen before leaving out to find her. They'd run out of water quickly.

He took the water to Alexa, who also drank deeply of it, thankful to get it. Then he did the same as before, pulling her skirt up above her knees in order to see how bad the gashes were. He took one of the cloths and bathed the blood off of the scratches and wounds. She jerked back and squeeled in pain as the cloth touched one particularly bad puckered stretch of flesh.

" brave valkyrie. Good girl..." Halfdan coooed.

Alexa simply gritted her teetch as tears seeped out against her will. Halfdan took the other dry bandages and bound them around the torn flesh, tying them tight against her leg. It hurt horribly, but she knew it had to be done in order to keep out infection, until scabs could start to form. It would be a painful process. Finally she felt Halfdan kiss away the tears on each side of her face. The ones she hadn't wanted him to see.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't ever be sorry, love. You are one of the bravest women I've ever met. My mother would have loved you, do you know that?" Halfdan said, taking her face in his hands and looking Alexa in the eye.

"Dierdru would have liked me you think?"

"Yes, I know she would have approved of you. You are strong and you take on too much responsbility for things that aren't even your fault. I know without even knowing that you would be a hard worker. I feel guilty sometimes because now I want this vengence not so much because of Harold and getting my father's estate back from Toke because it should have been Harold's but now because it's mine and it is going to be ours."

The depth of what he was saying began to kick in. Halfdan wanted her to live with him here forever. He wanted her to be mistress of his estate. What kind of life would that be for her. Could she adapt to that? What about their other quest to find a way back for her to Los Angelos?

"Halfdan, I'm not saying that I don't want that life with you, because I do. I've lived on a ranch in Wyoming most my life and I can't imagine it would be much different." She watched him smile broadly. "But I need to know if you are even going to try to help me find a way back to Los Angelos."

The smile went south quickly. In fact he looked like a storm cloud. A dark dark storm cloud.

"But why Alexa. Why would you need to go back to this Los Angelos. You aren't going back to him are you? Back to Jacob?"

It shocked Alexa that Halfdon even remembered Jacob's name, but then of course she supposed that if there was a woman in Halfdon's past she would have her name all but tatooed on her heart in hatred so what would be the difference?

"No, I'm not going back to Jacob. I don't want Jacob. I could never want Jacob after all we've shared. If I went back tomorrow I'd have to tell Jacob that I could never see him again because I was in love with someone else, even if I knew I could never see you again. I'd grieve over you til the day I died Halfdan."

Her words evidently impacted him enough that the storm clouds blew over and a much more somber, sad expression came over him.

"Lets hope it never comes down to that, huh. I don't think I could ever stand to lose you either. I'd grieve you til the day I died as well. I just wondered why you needed to know how to get back there?"

"Because it's my physical home. I know you love me, so you aught to be contented anywhere I am but you want to go back to your physical Danish home right? Well, Los Angelos is my home so I want to know I have to ability to go back there, even though I am at home anywhere you are, if that makes any type of sense at all."

"Yeah, I guess it does. And we need to know just in case how to send you back. What if you got sick and there was no way we could cure you here and they could cure you in your own time. I would never stand and let you just die here when I knew that you could live in your own world."

"But what if you could come with me....you would wouldn't you?"

"I don't know. I don't think I was mean't to live in 2010."

"Damn you! If I can function in 859, you can function in my time."

"Let's try to find someone, maybe a witch woman, who might know something about time travel. That is always possible. I'll keep my ears open when I go into the bars and such and am listening for news about Toke. You wouldn't believe the stuff you hear when the men get to drinking. It's always possible that I might pick something up. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it as far as me going with you okay?" Halfdan said trying to be consiliatory.

Alexa sighed. She'd thought about something earlier and it just wouldn't go away now. In fact it was really bothering her. She had to ask, though she was very afraid of the answer.

"Halfdan, I have to know this. I don't know why because I'm just going to torture myself with it, but I want the truth. I mean you are torturing yourself about Jacob so I might as well torture myself too."

"Alexa...don't do this," Halfdan looked striken. He held up his hands as if to say, 'please, I'm begging you'.

"So, it's true. There was someone before me. Who was she? Who did you love before me?"

Halfdan sighed heavily. This was not something he wanted to discuss today, or ever for that matter. Genevieve was a closed book in his mind. She was a friend who was gone on her own path in life. She had her own fate to fulfill as did he. Unconsciously he fiddled with the golden cross around his neck. Alexa played with it from time to time and had asked about it once. His only answer was that his mother had been a Christian as well as Irish and she took the answer point blank. She didn't know that he had traded the simple silver cross his mother gave him for the elaborate golden one Geneivieve wore. He knew that simple act would hurt her. Because if it were the other way around it would have hurt him.

"Please answer me," Alexa said simply.

"Her name was Genevieve and I met her in France. She was my prisoner for a time."

"Prisoner."

"Yes. It's hard to explain how she became my prisoner but I promise you that she never came to any harm while she was with me."

"I'm not liking this story one bit Halfdan." Alexa managed to growl. In fact, she stood up wobbly on her bandadged knees. She belatedly remembered her promise to him that she would never run again. But she wanted to for some reason. She didn't want to hear how this story ended. Not at all.

"You were the one who asked for the story, Alexa. I don't want to hurt you. Please sit down. Sit down now." His words were a soft command and she found herself obeying even though she didn't want to. Halfdan quickly moved over to her and enfolded her small hand in his bigger calloused one. She noticed that he rubbed his fingers over hers as if comforting her or maybe even himself.

"She was on her way to the abby where she lived and I had been sent out as a scout. I was in a bad position and I was about to be caught by the enemy. It was either take her as a hostage or be killed myself. Once I had her as a hostage I found out that she was in actuality not just a simple nun, but rather the daughter of the Lord over Paris and several other smaller Frankish towns. She could provide me with the ransom money I needed to become much more wealthy than I ever dreamed."

Alexa finally pulled completely away from Halfdan this time. She stood up and walked towards the woods. She knew she'd sworn she wouldn't run, but she wasn't sure she knew who the man behind her was anymore. He'd kidnapped a nun? A woman of God. In order to get ransom money. Obviously he'd gotten the money because that was what they were living off of now. _My God,_ Alexa thought, this dress that she was wearing... it was bought with the ransom from a woman of God. A woman of God that Halfdan had eventually bedded if she had her guesses right. Her throat began to swell up and the compulsion to rip off the dress and tear it to shreds came to her. It was her wedding dress. Her wedding dress was bought by another woman's ransom! She began to gulp back tears. Great large ones.

"Alexa, please...please don't cry. I don't think you understand the situation. I would have been dead if I hadn't taken her prisoner."

"No, I understand all right. You really are a damn viking! You took a woman for ransom. That is a felony offense in my time period. Punishable by life in prison you ass! Not just any woman either, but a woman of God." Alexa was really crying now.

"I'm sorry. God I'm sorry. But I am a damn viking as you put it and taking prisoners is just part of war. It happens. She would likely have been taken by someone just out in the field as she was. She was lucky that she was taken by me!"

"Oh, she was lucky to be taken by you. This I want to hear. I imagine its very romantic. Tell me all about how you fell in love. Just tell me all about it. Tell me how you made passionate love to her. I'm disgusted. Then you paid for _my_ wedding dress with the money from the ransom from her. A woman you loved. I think I'm gonna throw up." Alexa really wasn't kidding. Her stomach was weak as it could be and she was shivvering suddenly. She barely made it over to the stream before she threw up what remained of her dinner from the night before. Halfdan stood by helpless. He wasn't sure what to do. He'd seen women hysterically mad before, but not this upset per se at him. And he wasn't sure she was really mad, she was simply hurting. She had what she called a 'broken heart'. He'd broken her heart. Now he had to find a way to mend it and soon. He had to find the right words.

Halfdan walked over to the stream and leaned over Alexa pulling her hair back from her face. She had managed to clean her mouth out with the cold water from the stream. She still had tears flowing from her eyes.

"I didn't love her Alexa."

"What?"

"I said, I didn't love her Alexa. She was a good friend. I'd never had an actual friend before I met her. Not someone of my social class before. Slaves aren't allowed to have friends. I thought she was very beautiful and kind, but she had her own fate. She was meant to be a nun and I was meant to carry out this blood feud with Toke until every last member of his crew is dead. The last day before we shipped out for Ireland she invited me to the home of her friend. I was skeptical because I thought it was a trap. When I got there, the house was empty except for her. She asked me for a gift. The gift was, well, myself. She said that she wanted a good memory for all the long nights that she'd spend in the abby alone. She said she knew that to her own religion it was the darkest of sins but she didn't care. I, of course, didn't see it as a sin. She was my friend and she was someone I cared about greatly. I wasn't going to say no to her, so yes, I did share something beautiful with her that day. But it wasn't enough for me to break her out of the abby and beg her to go with me on my journey. I couldn't imagine Genevieve trying to do what you are doing. She isn't strong enough, tough enough, or willing to learn the way you are. Plus she could be very very annoying. You never annoy me. I enjoy your company all of the time. Do you understand? I was not meant to be with her. I was meant to be with you. Just as you were not meant to be with Jacob. You were meant for me and me only."

Now Halfdan had his hands on either side of her face and was looking at her directly. His lips were so close that they were almost touching.

"Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

"I think, but it still hurts."

"Yes, it may hurt, but I love you. I only love you. The minute I saw you, you know what I thought?"

"What?"

"She's much more beautiful than Genevieve ever was!"

"You really thought that when you saw me. I was getting attacked in an alley!"

"Do you remember what you were wearing at the time?" Halfdan laughed. "There wasn't much to leave to the imagination if I remember correctly. You could see every inch of your beautiful legs and that shirt you had on...what was with that? I can't believe you would wear that on a daily basis in your time. Did Jacob see you in things like that with your breasts just showing like that?"

"Yes, that's the style. Evidently men aren't as horny in our time and they don't go around thinking about sex as much. The pants I had on..everyone wears those kind, even women. Men don't go around attacking women just because they have pants on. It's normal."

"I can't fathom it."

"Maybe I should be afraid to take you home. You are a viking. Would you be attempting to attack every pretty girl you saw in a bikini?"

"No, I wouldn't attack any girl except you. What's a bikini?

"Well, you know what my undergarments look like."

"Yes, pretty much nothing."

"That's what women go swimming in public back home."

A look of utter terror came upon Halfdon's face.

"You are kidding right? Please tell me you've never done that."

"I've done it millions of times. I always wear a bikini to the beach."

Halfdon's face got red. Really red.

"I just can't deal with this time period of yours. I don't think I could stand the thought of other men, random men seeing you in your undergarments. Is that what a bikini truly looks like?"

"Some bikini's are actually smaller and cover less fless than bras and panties do, but I'm not like that. I don't have that good of a body in my opinion so I try to keep my ass covered you know. I don't have that much to show off."

"You have a beautiful body but as long as we are married I swear you will keep it covered and I am the only one who is going to see it. You will only show it in the bathhouse and in private maybe we can go bath in the stream up above the longhouse. But none of this public bathing like you are used to. I'm not the type of man who lays down lots of decrees but it's for your own safety. I can't have you running around in your undergarments. Men would be trying to rape you right and left regardless of whether you were the chieftains wife or not. It would be chaos."

"You are so funny. I have enough sense not to be showing what little I have to a bunch of viking men. I think I've had my feel of their sensibilities already. I'm about half scared to death of viking men anyway. You're the only one I trust."

"Do you trust me now?" Halfdan sighed, placing his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, I guess I still do. It just hurts. Lets just make a pact that the names Jacob and Genevieve will not be mentioned unless it's an extreme emergency of some sort."

"I think that is a good idea. It does hurts us doesn't it?"

"Yes, to change the subject, you know there is a clearing over there. You think you are able to start teaching me a little."

"I don't know, what with your legs and all? Maybe just one or two lessons. Not much though. We start slow." Halfdan said giving in. He helped her up and then grabbed her sword for her.

They walked to the clearing getting ready to start her very first lessons with a sword. Halfdan himself was deep in thought. He decided for the millionth time he was lucky. Alexa had forgiven him fairly easily. She hadn't run this time either. She'd kept her promise to him. She did indeed love him. When he'd been forced to leave Genevieve he'd been so sad. He'd wondered if he'd made a mistake. Wondered if indeed he should have taken her with him, broken her out of the abby, married her somewhere along the way. Now he understood why the fates had had him leave her where she was. They'd had someone else in store for him. Someone who would love him far more than she ever possibly could and someone who could stand by his side come hell or high water. He needed Alexa like he needed water, air and his bow and quiver. He would teach her all he could and hope that it would be enough.


	6. Chapter 6

Bad Romance - Chapter 6 (Please continue to read and review)

Alexa's legs hurt her horribly trying to ride Julia, though she said little to Halfdan. She knew complaining wouldn't do her any good and she didn't like the idea of being one of those nagging wives. She always hated seeing weak women who hung all over their husbands crying that this or that hurt. She'd been raised a ranch girl in Wyoming. When the tough winter winds came they toughed it out together with chapped hands and lips. When the hot summer days came they all got sun burned together as they picked crops and hoed rows of corn. She'd used those instruments of destruction til she thought her hands were going to blister and bloody and simply fall off. Her mother would put some salve on her wounds and then bind them up for the night. The next day she'd be expected to go right back at it again. She was told that was the only way a callous formed. Of a night was her only free time. She could lie upon the low hills where no one would bother her and look up at the stars and the constellations above and wonder just what was up there. She would even daydream as she went through the monotony of farm work about what space just might be like. She was hooked from an early age. Luckily she had supportive parents. Most parents on surrounding farms told her family they were stupid for letting her go on and on with her dreams. They told her father that he needed to set her down and give her the "talk". They didn't mean the sex talk either. The meant "the talk" as in "what her real prospects were in life". Her father never would do that though. He refused to tell her that her only prospects in life were to marry another farmer and grow up to farm all her life just like her mom did. He knew she loved Wyoming and all and you can't take the country out of the girl, but she was destined for greater things. Alexa was also a Daddy's girl and he wanted her happy. In truth, the closest she got was the talk her mother gave her when she explained after a particularly horrible asthma attack that NASA didn't take astronauts with asthma in which she cried so hard that she ended up bringing another one on. Alexa's mother had been afraid that would happen. Finally she ended up in the kitchen working, making dinner, and ruining our own dinner by eating chocolate chip ice cream to sooth her wounded dreams.

Alexa always remembered her mother's kindness and sweetness in the way she treated her when she told her that. She told her that her family would find a way for her to work in the space program. That they would write away and see what other jobs they had open. They did. Of course she got lots of leaflets on engineering programs, aerospace programs, flying programs, medical programs, and you just name it. Alexa pushed herself in math and science all the way through school til she got her diploma, graduating at the top of her class. She snagged the scholarship to UCLA and the rest was history. Now....now where was she? Was she doomed to live in this century where all of her studying was all for nothing because there was not a need for female astronomers in this century. She had made the rash, lustful decision to marry Halfdan, mostly out of hormonal craziness she decided, but she couldn't make myself say she regretted it. She was so in love with him. She wondered if there would be any way he could ever understand was she did for a living. She was slowly understanding that he was a soldier. A soldier for hire sometimes and that was okay with her. However, Alexa would be much happier if the two of them were back on the estate that he claimed he owned back in Denmark. She would be lady of the estate. He would be a simple farmer and she would be happy that way. She came from a long line of farmers.

"What are you thinking angel?" Halfdan asked.

"That I wished we were on your estate. I wish things were safe and calm."

"Well, eventually that is the goal. I want to get you there and make you the lady of the estate and let you meet my sister Sigrid. I believe that the two of you will love each other unbelievably. However, it won't be safe until Toke is dead. Toke believes that he owns that estate, not me, so there would be trouble until he is gone for good."

Alexa sighed. She was slowly understanding why it all came down to Toke. Nothing that Halfdan did, nor anywhere Halfdan went would be safe until Toke left this world for good.

"I love you, Halfdan."

"I love you, too, but we have to have a place to stay for the worst of the winter. I think I've got something arranged while I was in town and you were cooking breakfast." They were currently staying in the small town of Clondalkin, about twenty miles southwest of Dublintown.

"Oh, really?" Alexa said with a tilt of her eyebrow.

"Really? Yes. A man named Aldulf and his wife Sebring need boarders. He needs some help on his farm and she can use some help around the house. She has two small kids and one on the way. We can spend the rest of the winter months with them."

"I guess that will work," Alexa said, inadvertently shivering even though she was standing next to the fire. It was getting close to the first of January and the weather was changing fast. No more good days. The temps were dipping into the 30 degree marks every day. She worried about Halfdan going out every day to hunt and forridge meat for them like he did. He always came back safely though. She wished he'd let her go just once. She wanted to prove to him that she did have some ability with a bow and arrow. She'd used her father's bow and arrow often to bring down small game back home. Overall it would have been more efficient with pistols had she had one and she told him so, but then she had to explain pistols and Halfdan was in awe. He had the look that many men in her time got when the latest video game was released or a new type of technology such as a new cell phone or new lap top was developed. She could almost hear him say in his mind, "I gotta get me one of those" when she described what a .12 rifle could do. It was absolutely hilarious and priceless. A Kodak moment for sure.

They rode up to the farm where Aldulf and Sebring had their 2 acre plots of land. They were rich comparatively speaking to most of their station. Their home had 3 rooms. A room that served as a living room/dining room, which was the largest, a master bedroom, and a smaller room that served as a bedroom for the children. The youngest born child was a daughter, Avril, who was 3 and a 7 year old boy named Ralph. Avril was sweet in disposition from the moment Alexa met her. She was as tow headed as could be and constantly wanted her to run a comb through her long thin shiny hair. Ralph, though only 7, was a holy terror. He found any thing that could bother others funny. Alexa found herself trying to stay away from him, particularly because he stank. He refused to take a bath and seeing as how water was always in short supply in the winter and it was an ordeal to get a bath in the first place, no one seemed inclined to make the child bath. In any event, it fell on her husband's shoulders to deal with Ralph. Part of his job duties included tutoring Ralph on basic self defense skills to make him a warrior. They started them early, Danes do! Alexa couldn't imagine the problems Halfdan was getting ready to have with this kid. Her job was to more or less babysit Avril until her mother's child came and then eventually she would be ready to take over the responsibilities of her household again. She was about eight months along so Alexa figured that would be soon. The midwife had put her on complete bed rest and that was what she was trying to do. Alexa's other goal was to secretly work with Avril and see what the child had studied and get her as prepared as I could. She wanted to teach her as much as she could while she was here. She didn't know what type of education Avril would get. Possibly none, but Alexa would do the best while she was here, even if the girl was only 3.

Halfdan and Alexa settled in easily with their new family. She instantly fell in love with Avril and she had no idea how she would leave her when the time came in a few months for them to go. Strangely, even though he was still a terror behind Halfdan's back to Alexa, Ralph did really well for her husband. In fact, he showed great promise with the use of a sword. He had quick reflexes and better than anything, he had a quick mind and could figure out what Halfdan was going to do even before he did it. They practiced all of the very basic moves until Ralph had them down perfect. Eventually, Halfdan asked Ralph if it would be okay if Alexa joined in the practices, because her legs had finally healed enough that he felt she was okay and the risk of infection setting in was low. Ralph thought it hilarious that a girl would want to fight him. Of course he hadn't even thought about the fact that she had been sitting there watching every move he made for the last two weeks, analyzing how he moved and how he strikes. Alexa knew his moves better than he knew his own. Besides, he was only 4. Her problem was that she hadn't practiced in so long that her body felt wobbly at first holding the sword.

Halfdan made her practice with him several times to get the hang of it back. Alexa had to get her nerves back into motion. She had to calm herself and center herself the way that he had taught her to do. Having a 7 year old, laughing and giggling, disrespectfully at oneself off to the side did not help.

"Block him out. You are learning a good lesson today. In a real fight there will be those who jeer you and call you names in order to get you off of your balance. This is a child. A child cannot hurt you. He is only hurting your pride and your pride is really not something that you have to have in order to live. Not like your head or a limb or something like that." Halfdan said.

Alexa could not help but laugh. That's what Halfdan wanted. He wanted her laughing.

"Now, let's parry some more. Move high." Their swords connected again. This time it was much better, and so was the next time. This continued on and on and on.

"When do I get to fight her?" Ralph whined from the sidelines.

"I think I'm ready." Alexa stated, withdrawing her sword and drawing back from the circle she and Halfdan had been fighting in.

"If you are sure?" He looked at her seriously. Alexa almost broke out laughing. It wasn't like she was going to wrestle Hulk Hogan for his title belt. She was going to mock fight with a 7 year old.

"Come on!" Ralph was so excited you could see it in his eyes. He began circling her holding his sword out the way he'd been taught. She heard Halfdan whispering instructions to the four year old.

The boy cut at her legs low but was shallow. She actually managed to jump straight up in the air bending her legs to avoid the sword.

His next cut she intercepted on the way down, taking it all the way around. To be 7 he really was tough.

"Break, Ralph" Halfdan yelled. But he didn't. Ralph got this light in his eyes. He didn't break the clash of swords. He held it over her pushing her down on her feet.

The boy kept on holding the sword against her. Just as though he wanted her dead for some reason. She'd never seen such fire or passion in someone so young. It was as though he was fighting for his life for real.

"Break the hold Ralph. I told you to break it," She heard Halfdan yell again. She could tell he was mad as hell that he was having to tell the boy to do something like this twice and even madder that he was putting his wife in danger.

Alexa couldn't believe how strong he was for a child. It was unbelievable. And he wouldn't let go. If she let go and broke, his sword would go straight into her chest or stomach.

"Break it, Ralph, damn it" She saw Halfdan close by with his own dagger out. She didn't know what he was going to do, but he needed to do something quickly. She was getting sick. Really sick. She felt faint. Very faint. It couldn't be just the strength needed to hold this little boy back. Something was wrong with her. Some smell was making her sick all of a sudden. The manure. That's what was making her sick. She was going to throw up. She knew she was. But she couldn't let go or he'd kill her.

Finally she saw Halfdan's dagger against the small hand that held Ralph's sword.

"Break the hold, or you lose your hand!" Halfdan wasn't playing.

The sword clattered to the ground. Then Ralph began to bawl. Alexa couldn't help it. She just fell in a heap and crawled to the nearest corner and puked. She lost her supper. Alexa couldn't stand the manure anymore. It was overwhelming her. After emptying her stomach she tried to scoot away from the mess and breathe as easy as possible. She was afraid of the asthma. The little boy's attack still had her stunned. Why did he hate her so much? She knew that Halfdan was still talking to him? Alexa finally saw him get up and trot off to the house. Halfdan then got up and ran over to where she was leaned up haphazardly against a shed.

"I'm so sorry angel. So so sorry. Are you okay now? Do you need your inhaler?"

"Not yet I don't. I'm too sick at my stomach. Don't get too close. I probably stink. I just threw up last night's meal. I still don't feel too steady."

"Do you think it's just nerves?"

"I don't know? I've been scared like that before and I've never had an attack of the nerves exactly that. Not with the throwing up and stuff. I usually only throw up if I'm car sick."

"What is car sick?"

"Something that is too difficult for me to explain right now. Just take my advice. There's no way I'm car sick right now. What did you tell Ralph?"

"Ralph and I talked. I told him how much danger he put you in. He was crying. I don't think he understood at all what he did. I'm afraid for him Alexa. I'm afraid that he's growing up to be like Toke. A Berserk. They have no control over their emotions."

"He hates me and he doesn't know why he does. Or does he? I think maybe he does know why he hates me. I take you away from him. I'm your wife and that means I spend more time with you. He looks up to you as a hero. He wants to be with you like a side kick all the time. I'm in the way. If something happened to me I think he dreamed that you would take him away to all these exciting places you tell him about." Alexa explained slowly.

"Gods! We have to keep him away from you. He's dangerous to you!"

As he was saying this a huge pain hit Alexa in her lower abdomen. She cried out in pain.

"We need to get me in the house," she huffed.

That was no problem because Halfdan already had her in his arms and was walking with her out of the barn and towards the house just as fast as he could. Another two hard pains hit her before they managed to lay her down upon the straw mattress the two slept in each night.

Sebring came in red faced. She was upset over the incident with Ralph having only heard his side of things.

"What's wrong with her?"

"When she went down she began throwing up. She lost all of her dinner and now she is having pains in her lower abdomen. She's had 3 hard hard pains. They make her cry out." Halfdan answered for her. He was mad already, knowing that no matter what he said she would take their son's side in this, just like Gunhild had taken Toke's side when he was a Berserk and obviously hurt other people.

"Let me look at her," He watched as Sebring, who was normally of the sweetest and nicest dispositions became much more commanding and hard. He guessed that taking up for one's cub would do that for you. She pulled Alexa's tunic up above her breasts and then pulled her shift up as well so that her middle section and her breasts were on display. Halfdan felt that he ought to go in the other room or something, but then they were legally married now so why should he? He had a right to be anywhere that his wife was being examined and handled.

Sebring ran her hands down Alexa's normally smooth belly. Right now, her stomach looked a bit distended. Halfdan wondered if perhaps her bowels were backed up some. That was a very common disorder. Then he saw Sebring do something, well, _odd._ She picked up each of his wife's breasts and weighed them in her hand as if judging them in some contest at a county fair. Halfdan had to hold his breath. Both breasts seemed whiter than normal and almost transparent. You could see the blue veins, but what was causing his body to react was the nipples and the aureola that surrounded it. It was huge. Even larger than normal. Like a large target set up for him, so that his tongue could be the arrow and her nipple would be the winner's center. It was a dream. He wanted her. Now. If there had been changes in her body he hadn't noticed them in the always darkened room that they generally made love in.

"Tell me something Halfdan?" Sebring said in her new annoyed voice. "You are this woman's husband and you are supposed to be protecting her. Why did you think it was a good idea for her to be playing war games with my son when she is quite obviously pregnant?"

Halfdan had to sit down on the edge of the bed. His eyes began to swim before him. What did she just say? Pregnant. Alexa. Pregnant. With his child. He wanted to cry for joy. He was finally going to have that family he'd always wanted. He didn't know how he would manage it all. He didn't know where she would have the baby, but they would have it and everything would be so wonderful.

"Are you telling me the truth Sebring? Is she really pregnant?" Halfdan asked to be sure, although, he knew the woman was right. All the symptoms fit.

"Absolutely. We need to try to get her awake and see if she can remember when she had her last flow so that we might figure out when this little one will be here. But if I had my guess I'd say she's about two months along..

Two months along. That would mean she got pregnant just as soon as I met her, Halfdan said to himself.

"Alexa, angel, wake up" Halfdan crooned to her as she lay there on the mattress asleep. He brushed the hair out of her eyes. He began to notice for the first time just how tired she did look. She needed her sleep. But they needed the information. He decided they would let her rest today. She and the child obviously needed it.

"Wake up, Alexa," Halfdan was getting a bit alarmed that she wasn't waking easily as she normally did, but finally a groggy Alexa moaned out and stirred a bit. He continued to stroke her hair trying to get her fully awake.

"Come on, love, we need you awake. We must talk"

"W-w-was wrong?" she managed to grumble. Alexa blinked her eyes open finally at Halfdan. He was happy to see them open. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then her small nose, then her mouth.

"You gave me a powerful scare. That's what's wrong." Halfdan replied to her.

"Oh, I got sick and threw up didn't I? That was gross. I'm sorry about that. I think I'm better now." She tried to struggle to get up, but Halfdan would have none of it.

"Nope. You are on bed rest today. You look so tired. I want you to sleep today."

"No, I'm fine. I have chores to do honey. It was probably just a bug, a virus, something I ate. That's probably why my stomach started hurting afterward. I'll be just fine. You can let me up."

"No. I'll not let you up. And you aren't fine."

"I'm not."

"No." Sebring spoke for the first time. "When was your last woman's flow Alexa?"

Alexa actually blushed a bit. This wasn't the kind of stuff she talked about in front of Halfdan, although she was used to talkong about everything else. She thought back about the question and its implications. Did Sebring think she was pregnant? Oh God! She could be! The signs were all there weren't they. And she hadn't had her period since she'd left her own time period and that had been well over two and half months ago. To be honest she'd been a bit relieved her period hadn't come yet because she hadn't wanted to deal with it but then she hadn't thought about the implications of it not coming. She probably was pregnant. What the hell was she going to do?

"My last period was the week before I married Halfdan." she replied to Sebring.

She nodded her head.

"How long have you been married?" she asked both of us.

"Just over two months," Halfdan replied.

"Well then, I suppose we can say that we'll have a young one in about seven months then," Sebring replied. Alexa didn't want to tell her that she could have figured that out on her own.

"What are we going to do Halfdan?" Alexa asked almost out of reflex. He looked at her an smiled largely.

"I believe we are going to have a child, love."

_Duh_, Alexa thought to herself.

Authors Note: If you like the story and would like me to continue please read and review. Thus far I've had no reviews. I'm sorry that chapter 2 is missing. For some reason the site isn't letting me put it up. I've got it on here somewhere, but it doesn't show up in the story. I apologize but I think you can actually manage the storyline without it.


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